Amalgamation
by Domagonic
Summary: Exploration into the heritage of a character who happened to be born with every possible ability. Twist upon this reality to allow the perfect amalgamation of abilities for the most ultimate being in existence. Could be considered Epic-Length. [Indefinite Hiatus-Pending Rewrite.]
1. Chapter 1

**I Do Not Own Bleach. I do own any future OCs.**

* * *

 **Part 1: The Day Everything Changed.**

* * *

My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, and I am known for many things in life. Ranging from fighting with delinquents or my spiky orange hair. These things are insignificant compared to my ability to see the spirits of the dearly departed.

This special ability of mine has always been with me, but as of late it only appears to be growing stronger and stronger. I have no idea what this meant for me just yet and I could only hope it won't cause problems down the line.

At this moment in time I was just entering my house, or clinic if you prefer. Unfortunately I was late for dinner, but I already knew the routine quite well.

The moment after I announced my presence to my family I fluidly ducked under a roundhouse kick from my father. For once the violence immediately stopped as Isshin began to tear up emotionally.

"Son that was so perfect... perfect anticipation followed by fluid dodging..."

"Sheesh dad, can I just eat in peace or do we have to do this all over again?"

Isshin pauses for a moment to think before walking towards the stairs.

"I actually have something I need to go pick up, enjoy your dinner son."

I run my fingers through my hair for a moment before walking towards the table. I rarely had dinner these days, even my sisters looked surprised.

"Say, Ichigo looks like you got a new one."

"A new what?"

I look at Karin for a moment before turning around in my seat to see the spirit of a businessman. While my sister found them annoying, I found it depressing. What exactly could I do for them besides see them?

Karin scoffs as if reading his mind, sitting her bowl down with disdain.

"The best thing you can do is ignore them, be just like me. Be in permanent denial of their true existence."

I chuckle as I finish the last of my rice, slinging my bag onto my shoulder. Karin was cold to spirits in this way, but I was beyond blaming her.

"I doubt giving spirits the cold shoulder will bring them any closer to peace Karin. I'm going to sleep now, have a goodnight."

I received nonchalant waves in return as I began the trek up the stairs to my room. I tossed my bag onto my chair and spread myself out on my bed.

 _I wish I knew what was happening to me._

With that final thought I closed my eyes to allow sleep to take me.

* * *

I groaned almost irritably as the sun slowly began to seep into my eyes. I roll over once before forcing myself to stand.

 _Alrighty then, let's get this over with._

My heart involuntarily speeds up as the pressure of the air increases dramatically. Like a heavy blanket of energy weighing on my shoulders.

I fall to my knees willingly as the force slowly begins to dissipate into nothingness. It was over so fast I was beginning to wonder if it was just my imagination.

I quickly stand back up and grab my bag, wondering if Yuzu or Karin had felt it just now. As I walk into the kitchen area from the stairs I get my answer.

"Morning guys, feel anything... weird a couple moments ago?"

Karin continues to sip her tea while Yuzu turns to look at me strangely.

"Good morning Ichigo, I'm not sure what you mean by feel something strange or weird."

"Forget about it, it's nothing. Where's dad?"

My eyes slowly go to the ongoing television report as Karin finally puts her tea down to answer. Well that was quite weird, Karakura Station was wrecked at seven thirty A.M.

 _Was that heavy distortion caused by what happened at the Karakura Station?_

"Earth to Ichigo, your blanking out on us. I said dad is at an early meeting, won't be home until late tonight."

I nod slowly just barely listening to her as the broadcast continues. I pull the single piece of toast from the toaster and immediately bite down when something occurs to me.

 _That's really close to where we live, I can walk by there on my way to school._

* * *

It became apparent on my short walk towards the Karakura Station that multiple things had happened last night. Alleyways blockaded with police and torn to shreds.

Pipelines ruptured as if bombs of sorts had gone off. I began to get that same feeling that I was missing something.

My ears did not lie, I heard the sound of distant otherworldly howling. Just like before the air became thick with energy but I was able to remain on my feet.

The moment I could move again I started running towards the sound, another roar following the first before the building exploded.

I stop twenty feet back as other civilians pass me by, staring into the hazy smoke. I take an involuntary step back as a white and purple mask emerges from the airborne debris.

Its two arm lances slowly dig into the ground as it turns to look at him. A look of recognition appears for a moment as it grins and starts coming towards me.

"I've finally found you..."

The spirit of a little girl runs past me as I remain frozen in place. It raises its lance to impale me on the spot.

I start blinking rapidly as a black butterfly with a maroon outline flies in front of my face. The next moment a petite young woman appears above me in a black Shihakusho with a sword already being drawn.

In a single swipe the creature's white and purple mask was split into two and he began to dissolve. She turns around to look in his direction for a moment with a blank stare before shoving the hilt of her sword into the little girl's forehead.

I gasp in surprise as a marking appears before the girl slowly began to sink into a bright blue circle on the ground. I reach out to try and get her attention but she was already gone disappearing from view.

"What did I just see?"

I wasn't quite sure what this all meant, but it was definitely going to hurt my concentration for the rest of the day.

* * *

It was already deep into the night when I returned home for the day. The feeling of oppressive energy was a constant throughout the day, but he had yet to see the girl again.

The moment I entered my room the feeling of brief power returned to me again. Through my open window flew another black butterfly, just like this morning.

As I predicted she appeared next landing gracefully on my desk. Instead of ignoring me she looks directly into my eyes.

"I know that you can see me human, we have to talk."

"Who are you?"

She lands softly adjacent to my bed with a faint grin on her face. After a long day of tedious labor this would be fun.

"You really wish to know? I am Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper."

Her grins widens at my shocked expression before she holds up two fingers to me.

"What you saw this afternoon in town was one of two types of spirits in this world. The technically evil kind are Hollows, they eat the souls of the living, dead, and even their own kind."

She stops speaking to allow her eyes to wander, as if seeing and feeling something I couldn't. She quickly turns back to look at me seriously.

"The second kind are Wholes, but that is really irrelevant at this moment. I'm here because your abnormal amount of Spiritual Energy is acting as an indirect beacon."

The room fills with Spiritual Pressure again as if to prove her point. She turns away from me for a moment as if contemplating her next move.

"The final Hollow that must be slain tonight is Fishbone D. My responsibilities as a Soul Reaper also require me to contain and fix an indirect beacon. The first part is drawing out all of the Spiritual Energy from your soul, which begins now."

I stand up to move closer to her as she continues to face away from me. I got the feeling that she was enjoying the mystique of explaining this to me.

"Bakudo 1: Sai."

I blink and the moment I do I find my nose pressed to the floor with my arms wrenched against my back. She looks back at me for a moment before leaving the room.

"Break that Kido... oh and try not to damage your soul."

I grunted irritably as her footsteps faded, the room had a bright luminescence to it at that moment. I felt a deep sense of despair when the Kido didn't budge an inch.

I was hurting people in Karakura Town just by living because I couldn't control my Spiritual Energy. So long as I lived like this I was a danger to society.

I closed my eyes for a moment and something inside me snapped. The world grew brighter and I could see and hear it now. The Kido composed up of several layers of kanji surrounding my waist.

My chest began to feel heavy but I was able to force myself to feet, my hands still thoroughly trapped behind me. Just standing felt like I'd used all of my Spiritual Energy.

 _She made it seem like most of it is still hidden inside of me, I need to be the one to draw it out._

My heart literally jumped into his throat when I heard a scream.

* * *

Rukia narrowed her eyes as Fishbone decided he wasn't going to play fair at all. Soul Reaper duties also meant protecting all the lives of the living.

The Hollow dug deeply into the earth and began to toss chunks of earth towards her. In the next moment she disappeared with a Flash Step and reappeared as the rock split into multiple pieces.

"I know you heard me Soul Reaper, don't make me ask again."

Rukia remains silent causing Fishbone D to toss another two sizable pieces or concrete towards the clinic. Her annoyance skyrockets as she repeats the same process to neutralize the rocks.

"Where is that delectably unique soul that's hiding in this town, Soul Reaper?"

She misses the next rock barely able to cut it into two before it passes her to crash into the clinic walls. This had gone on far enough for her tastes.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki."

Fishbone D falters as the blast of cool air reaches him. He had the chance now to get several spiritually sensitive souls, and a Soul Reaper. He would risk it.

Rukia finishes the conversion to Shikai twisting her Zanpakuto upside down, relishing its beauty. Her eyes wander behind her at the sound of a scream just as Fishbone D began to charge a red Cero.

"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren."

She punctures the ground four times before taking a stance with her Zanpakuto facing the Hollow. Ice particles slowly begin to flow up from the ground as the Hollow finishes charging the Cero.

"I hope I don't make you too crispy, Soul Reaper. Cero!"

The red beam of doom collides with the literal avalanche of cold air with the immediate advantage. Fishbone D was still much weaker than Grand Fisher for sure.

He slides to his left, saving the majority of his body from being frozen solid. He struggles to free his right arm from the ice and Rukia prepares to finish him off.

* * *

The moment I get down the stairs my entire world was torn upside down. Rukia was engaging the Hollow and Karin was trapped underneath the rubble of a completely destroyed wall.

My pupils widen for a moment and I force my arms to move away from my back. The strain and force binding me begins to bend as the world around me grew dark.

Several white kanji appear all around me as the remaining Spiritual Energy leaves my soul. The first two layers of the Kido come undone, a brilliant orange glow filling the room.

With a final grunt the final layer erupts as the Kido fails to restrain me. With my hands free I run towards Karin, no longer was I an indirect beacon. Fishbone D could now sense my presence with scary clarity.

He looks at me hungrily, his worst and final mistake as Rukia points her Zanpakuto at him.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro."

A brilliant circle resembling a moon appears directly below him before he was frozen solid. She twirl her Zanpakuto and shoves it into the ice, cutting deeply into his mask.

The entire tower comes crashing down as the Hollow is purified. She sheathes her Zanpakuto and slowly walks towards us, producing a metallic can from her Shihakusho.

Karin squints at her for a moment before gasping as the can sprayed directly into her face. Karin blinks twice before she goes limp, out like a light.

She pauses to look at me again before pointing at the stairs.

"Go to sleep, I will handle this if you don't mind."

I reluctantly nod and turn around towards the stairs and a possible sleepless night.

* * *

 **Part 2: Understanding and Accepting The Unknown.**

* * *

I drifted in and out of consciousness the entire night, never really settling in. Just close enough to the surface for the real world to affect my dreams.

"Good morning Ichigo!"

My eyes snapped open and in an instant reversed the assault from my active father. Pinning him to the floor by gripping the sides of his head.

"Hah! I win again dad, you're going to have to be quicker than that!"

Last night's events quickly jump back into the forefront of my mind as I grip the front of his shirt.

"What happened last night?"

"It's a real miracle! Gas line pipe exploded and perforated the kitchen without anyone being hurt or waking up!"

I nod in surprise as they continue to go about their day as if it was no big deal. She hadn't exactly fixed the house, but memories were another thing entirely.

"I guess she's really gone..."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you Kurosaki."

I jump backwards before falling down as Rukia appears beside me again. One hand of her hip and the other on her Zanpakuto.

"I really am sorry to disappoint you, but I still need to help you control your new found Spiritual Energy. After that, you can forget all about me."

I scratch my head for a moment before standing back up. This was a tad bit too bittersweet for him, but he wouldn't allow anyone else to get hurt for his sake.

"Find me after you finish breakfast, you're going to be late for school unfortunately."

She disappears before I can respond, and the world dims again. My Spiritual Energy fluctuated more than I cared to admit. The only thing still not making sense was why there was so much inside me.

"Big brother, you better hurry and eat breakfast! You're spacing out again."

"Right, thanks Yuzu."

* * *

I straightened out the collar of my shirt as I proceeded through the gate to the clinic. It then occurred to me that Rukia had specifically said to find her himself.

I had no idea how, but she seemed to think I should be able too. I look my right palm for a moment before closing my eyes to concentrate.

The air shimmers for a moment before growing considerably brighter. The energy quickly coalesces into a number of long flowing ribbons of different colors.

I reach out slowly before a red ribbon comes into view, matching the same feeling I got when Rukia was around. I grabbed the ribbon and without warning could see her.

No, I could find her.

* * *

Two blocks from my house Rukia relaxed in the shadows, almost ignoring my approach. Her purple eyes flash for a moment as she opens them again.

"You took so long... but that's in the past. We have exposed the majority of your power to the world. To prevent Hollows from detecting this means you have to learn how to control it."

I nod in a determined manner.

"I'm ready."

"Bakudo 1: Sai."

Like before my limbs were forced behind his back, but I was able to remain on my feet. Without struggling at all I could feel she had put more effort into this Kido.

"To break it this time will require much more than raw Spiritual Pressure. You will need to stem the flow to find just the right amount, Ichigo."

I took a deep breath in through my nose before trying to force down my Spiritual Energy. The world around me grows brighter as my dense Spiritual Pressure begins to sink back into me.

Rukia watches with rapt interest as the undeniable waves of Spiritual Pressure that constantly poured off me began to recede. Ichigo was a very special human indeed, Sai was impossible for any normal human to escape.

A vein appears on my forehead followed by sweat as the Spiritual Pressure fades completely. She blinks as I starts to move his arms, just like before her Kido began to destabilize.

I find myself grinning as the Kido begins to break apart, three layers separating around him. I grunt as the Sai snaps into segments and breaks the world continuing to glow bright.

"Impressive, now I have another task to complete. Care to join me?"

It sounded more like a command rather than a question, but I decided to keep my mouth shut. She remains silent in our walk, looking at her phone.

She pauses to allow me to reach her side before grabbing my shoulder. In the next moment the world blurred and we were standing in front of bollards of Karakura's park.

"I noticed last night that your Spiritual Pressured reacted quite strange around that Hollow. In fact for that moment and half your night it refused to settle."

She closes the flip phone and pulls out her Zanpakuto. A young boy appears running away from an insectoid Hollow. The Hollow immediately stops chasing the boy and stalks in our direction.

It began to charge a standard red Cero in its mouth. I stared into the amassing energy for a moment before the pain started. I feel to my knees as my Spiritual Pressure was released again.

The Hollow stops charging the Cero, howling as if pain as well. Rukia watches with a remote amount of concern. Her hypothesis proven correct already.

 _Something inside this special boy is reacting violently with Hollow Spiritual Pressure._

She flips her Zanpakuto into a reverse grip on its hilt before dispatching the hollow with a single thrust. She frowned as I continued to clutch the ground in agony.

"It appears I might have come to my own conclusions too fast. Something is happening to you that has nothing to do with an above average amount of Spiritual Power."

She flips me over as I don't respond, gripping my face with one hand.

"Inemuri."

My visions grows blurry and the pain fades along with it. She easily hauls me onto her shoulder before disappearing in a Flash Step.

* * *

Just like before I drifted just slightly above the abyss of my mind. There was no pain here though, and for that I accepted it.

My eyes snapped open in the late evening at a foreign feeling invades my stomach. I sit up and look out the window, absentmindedly touching my stomach.

"So you do feel it, Ichigo. That Spiritual Pressure is a Garganta being opened up near here. I'm not quite sure what happened this morning, but maybe if I see it again I might understand it."

She grabs the back of my shirt and we both disappear in a dizzying Flash Step. She was moving faster than usual, as if something was beginning to upset her about this.

"This Hollow isn't very strong Ichigo, but that's not what's worrying me here. Every time a Hollow enters Karakura Town your Spiritual Pressure changes even more."

The Flash Steps stopped and I looked away from her calculating gaze. I noticed it too, my Spiritual Pressure reminded me of the very things she killed.

I am knocked from my inner doubts as I notice just where we are. This was Orihime's house if I wasn't mistaken. The wall they were under exploded outward, giving me my answer.

* * *

Acidwire howled in anguish again, finally having Orihime all to himself. With his memories intact and two very different natures battling for control he disregarded Grand Fisher.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Orihime? It's me... your older brother, Sora."

The fear in her eyes easily overshadowed the shallow recognition that began to dawn. He begins to subconsciously squeeze her as the pain of rejection begin to set into his soul.

"How can you be afraid of me, Orihime?! It was me who took care of you, and it was me who stayed behind after death to watch over you! I became a monster for you... and now... you will share the same fate."

He extends the arm not gripping her frame to knock out the wall to the outside. With more room to work he grips her Chain of Fate with the intent to destroy it completely.

The satisfaction was quickly lost however as the sound my voice resounded through him. His eyes burned with hatred as he caught sight me, pulling the Chain of Fate taut.

She had chosen these people over him, after all he had done. It wasn't enough to keep his memory alive. She needed to know his pain in the easiest way possible.

The air shook and vibrated with my rampant Spiritual Pressure. Acidwire paused to look directly at me again, trying and failing to match the dense power.

His moment of diverted attention was enough of a mistake to capitalize on. Rukia disappeared in a Flash Step, in the next instant his entire right arm was severed.

Acidwire howls and clutches the spurting stump as Rukia reappears with Orihime safely in her arms. The moment of agony was over before I knew it, airborne acid began to eat away at the spot I previously stood in.

The Hollow slithers down into the street with even more anger. He was beginning to lose the rest of his intelligence in favor of raw instinct.

"I will grind your bones into dust Soul Reaper!"

Acidwire blinked and Rukia was gone, his radar unprepared for her quick Flash Step. She reappeared above him a moment later.

"In the face of transcendent adversaries, rain down upon their souls with chrysalis tears! Bakudo 62: Hyapporankan!"

A white orb appears in her right hand before transforming into a glowing rod of Spiritual Energy. She throws it like a javelin which quickly splits into multiple rods.

Acidwire moves an inch forward before being forced to remain still. Perforated everywhere but his Hollow mask he cries out in pain and true suffering.

"Orihime..."

She looks into his eyes, her green hairs pins catching the moonlight for a moment. His eyes widen in surprise as memories that were fading returned in a flood.

"I thought..."

"Sora, I'm so sorry..."

Acidwire closed his eyes and tried to struggle again, in vain as it was he was obligated to try. He roars at all three of us again with the same pain.

"You did this to me Soul Reaper! It's all your fault!"

"You're absolutely right. Even though you resisted Konso rather feverishly it was my sworn duty to protect and save you. If anyone here is to blame for your pain, it is I."

Acidwire stared up in utter shock and confusion at the response he received. The shock would increase in magnitude as Orihime gripped Rukia's shoulder with one hand and her wound with the other.

"No... that isn't true at all. If anyone is to blame for this situation then it would be me. I begged you stay, Sora, now I'm going to release you so you can be at peace."

A strangled gasp escapes his throat, no longer capable of tears to match his sorrow.

"I love you brother... have a good night."

The final piece of his instinct was eradicated, cracks forming along his mask. He howls again, the otherworldly tint fading into the sound of the brother Orihime remembered well.

"Please kill me Soul Reaper, I don't want to hurt anyone else."

Rukia nods with a slight smile, her sword piercing the top of his mask in a clean sweep. The smile never left his face as his soul was purified of his deeds as a new Hollow.

 _Goodbye... Orihime... I hope to see you again someday..._

Rukia sheathes her sword as the energy finishes dissipating. A moment later Orihime breaks down into tears.

I look away to give her privacy, reeling in my fluctuating Spiritual Pressure. My mind wasn't given time to wander as Rukia gave Orihime a blast of the gas from her canister.

"I need to fix things here for right now, Ichigo. Go home and get some sleep, but let me make this very clear. We need to talk about your Spiritual Pressure."

I nod once and turn to leave, but halt at the sound of her throat being cleared. I make to turn around and face her before the sound of her Zanpakuto taps its hilt.

The sound of her metal canister discharges before I can react. The world quickly grows dark around me. I wondered where I went wrong exactly.

* * *

 **Part 3: The Unknown Power Hidden Within Emerges! A Decision Is Made!**

* * *

The sun slowly begins to enter my bedroom in the wee earliest part of the morning. Signaling me that the day had begun and it was time to awaken for school.

Just like that the previous days were all a hazy blur of motion. As if they had never existed in the first place. My entire point of view was utterly skewed.

The sound of soft footsteps alerts me to another presence in my room. Her startling purple eyes leave me a state of wonder, just who was this girl?

Her eyes are expectant, with a tinge of fear hidden within their depths. My pupils widen as my recent vibrant memories return in an ugly tide.

Rukia gassed me with the Memory Replacer last night after saving Orihime. I clutch my forehead in agony as she sighs with... relief? Wait why was she relieved if she had done it?

"I'm sorry about the impromptu test I put you through, Ichigo. That Soul Reaper tool is ineffective against those with high levels of Spiritual Energy."

Rukia pulls her phone from her Shihakusho and starts pressing buttons incessantly. A moment later she looks back at me with a serious expression.

"Your Spiritual Pressure did increase last night, but it also evolved again. I decided to compile and dial in all your Spiritual Pressure signatures into my radar for Karakura Town."

Her right hand slowly trails down to the hilt of her Zanpakuto as she observes me coolly. Just the way she was speaking was beginning to set off alarm bells in my mind.

"I found several Spiritual Pressures that matched my initial contact with you, Ichigo. I also compared them to the Spiritual Pressure you possess now..."

The hand gripping the hilt of her Zanpakuto squeezes harder than before. Her eyes shut tightly to match her grip.

"Your Spiritual Pressure is exactly like that of a Hollows. Procedures would require me to eliminate you before you hurt anyone. The problem is... the problem is that I... can't..."

It then occurred to me that the amount of emotion Rukia was showing was massive compared to her usual self. She couldn't bring herself to raise her sword against me?

"While you emit the same fluid energy as Hollows, you are nothing like them. You have endangered no one purposefully... and neither have the other people with Spiritual Pressure like you."

She turns to look out of my window almost wistfully as if she had spent all night thinking about it.

"I won't raise my sword against the innocent, it would be the opposite reason of why I became a Soul Reaper. No matter what scrutiny I may come under, I have my pride as a Kuchiki."

I can't help but smile as she picks and chooses were words carefully. I run a hand through my hair slowly in embarrassment.

"So you're not going to say anything, Ichigo?"

"Thanks, Rukia... for everything you've done for me so far."

Rukia quickly turns away with a sheepish look on her face.

"Alright, not need to get extra sappy. You have school today and I have Hollows to slay."

* * *

It was almost impossible to comprehend just how much had changed in a matter of days. I went from average high school student to premier spiritualistic medium.

To just go to school and be normal again was almost tedious and boring. I of course didn't miss Rukia at all, I would be fine if I never saw her again...

"You said that last part out loud, Ichigo."

My eyes widen in surprise as Rukia appears beside me. I unfortunately lose my footing and fall onto the ground with a thud.

Rukia raises a curious eyebrow at me as another of my classmate's approaches. I quickly dust off my shirt and stand back up, glancing wearily at Rukia who merely looks at her phone.

"I thought you were slaying Hollows?"

"You act if I said Menos Grande. You should also stop talking to yourself."

Mizuiro steps within earshot with his lunch in tow, and I decide to take her advice. I knew where he went Keigo would follow close behind.

"Hey Ichigo, heard your house got wrecked by a gas pipeline. That why you missed school yesterday?"

"Yeah something along those lines..."

Like the calm before the storm ending prematurely at the sound of male crying tears of happiness. I couldn't help but sigh at the predictability of it all.

"Ichigo!"

I effortlessly clothesline Keigo before he can get too overexcited. He stays on the ground for less than a moment before he's back on his feet.

"Hello, Keigo."

"You should find better ways to greet your friends, Ichigo!"

He raises both arms to the back of his head and takes a step backwards. He blinks in surprise as he bumps into a much larger student.

"Oh, hey Chad, what's with the bandages?"

He pauses to raise his bandaged right hand, hesitating for a moment.

"I had a bit of a mishap, a steel beam fell on my head. Not long after that a motorcycle ran into me and the rider was terribly injured."

A bead of sweat travels down the side of my face as his nonchalant attitude.

"Just what is your body made of?"

Chad ignores my rhetorical question and sits down an antique bird cage with a white cockatiel inside. Rukia takes an immediate sudden interest in the bird, which looks directly at me instead.

"Hello, my names Yuichi Shibata, it's nice to meet you mister. What's your name?"

On closer inspection the bird itself was swathed in the Spiritual Pressure of a Hollow. That same Hollow watched them closely from afar, wary of the casual Soul Reaper presence.

"So something put a Whole inside a cockatiel hmm?"

She reaches out and places the palm of her hand against the cage, a green light enveloping the bird. The Hollow previously content to watch begins to fly, a red Cero charging in its mouth.

The spirit form of Yuichi Shibata materialized outside the cockatiel as Shrieker fired the Cero. Shrieker was undoubtedly too weak to cause a seated Soul Reaper much trouble.

"Bakudo 39: Enkosen!"

The Cero is easily deflected high into the air, not even cracking the shield of Spiritual Pressure. Before the Cero was even finished she began a preemptive incantation.

"Ye Lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash slightly the wrath of your claws."

I watched in near awe as she finished the incantation, my schoolmates completely oblivious. Shrieker remained as oblivious as them, dive bombing down to attack us at close range.

This would be his final mistake of course. The shield cracked and blew apart to reveal pale fire gathering in her right palm.

"Hado 33: Sokatsui!"

Shrieker only had a moment to reflect his mistake before a wall of blue fire engulfs his body. She closes the palm into a light fist and the flames die out, revealing a scorched Shrieker.

He sways on his feet for a moment, the cracks in his mask growing more profound. A vibrant green light begins to shine through, while Shrieker tries to keep his mask together.

"No... no... no... no! Not yet, I had so many things...!"

I shield my eyes as the light becomes blinding and ethereal gates appear behind him. A purple door chained shut with skeletons decorating both sides. The skulls eyes glow bright red for a moment, a sneer forming.

The chains holding the gates closes break apart to reveal eerie darkness within. Shrieker turns to look into the gates of Hell for a moment before screaming and terror and bounding forward.

The air is filled with the potent Spiritual Pressure of Hell in a heavy blanket like rush. I scream out in pain alongside Shrieker, a single red chain plunging through his abdomen.

I close my eyes in pain, only for another pair of yellow ones to open in my mind instead. Shrieker is slowly pulled back towards Hell, his claws digging deep into the earth.

I open my real eyes, inky yellow replacing my warm brown eyes. I hear maniacal cackling in my mind, something snapped inside me as I scream. My Spiritual Pressure spikes as the beast holding Shrieker's chains yanks him through.

The air distorts as my screams grow in intensity, the very fabric of space and time distorting with my rampant Spiritual Pressure. Rukia watches with a fair amount of worry, the gates of Hell slowly beginning to close.

She slowly pushes her own fingers into her ears to block out my incessant screaming as the gates to Hell close with finality. Hell's special Spiritual Pressure dissipated with the doors closed, my screaming abruptly ending.

The gates slowly begin to crack into pieces as my eyes begin to droop. I collapse onto my stomach as the gates shatter completely, the air settling.

Rukia furrows her brow as she stares at my prone form and then at the unconscious forms of my schoolmates. She would need to give them all a dose to replace these unfortunate memories.

"What am I going to do with you, Ichigo? Just what are you exactly?"

She didn't receive the answer she was hoping for, the air chilling ever so slightly. A distorted cackling filling her ears before disappearing into nothingness.

She decided to ignore the disembodied voice and get me home. She could already feel people the building searching for the source of the power.

 _I think a trip back to the Soul Society is in order. I'm sure our records know oh humans developing Hollow like powers somewhere buried._

She disappears in a Flash Step with me slung over her shoulder.

* * *

A short time later Rukia paused to look back towards the clinic before pulling out her Zanpakuto. She thrusts it directly in front of her, more than half the sword disappearing.

"Now open."

She turns the remainder of the sword like a key, a rectangular door opening to reveal a second circular door. A single Hell Butterfly flies through, and she gives one more glance back before moving through the gate.

 _Be safe for now, Ichigo._

* * *

 **Part 4: Manifestation.**

* * *

Just like before when I collapsed my mind was a blur of activity. While I drifted in a calm nothingness of slumber, the world dark and bleak.

 **"Hey, can you hear me, Ichigo?"**

I wondered if Rukia would be forced to kill me because I was becoming like a Hollow. At the very beginning the thought actually frightened me and I lamented its unfairness.

 **"Time to wake up, partner..."**

It occurred to me that I could hurt others, just like real Hollows did. That thought was scarier than any form of punishment beyond death could offer.

 **"The time has finally come, Ichigo..."**

I could hear the voice clearly now, the whispers becoming an otherworldly purring. The ground beneath my feet solidified, and my sense of gravity returned in a rush.

The sky materialized as one of late evening with a full moon hanging perfectly in place. Tiny granules of gray sand raining down like sleet during a cold storm. A pair of glowing yellow eyes peered through the cloud of sand behind him.

The remaining sand dropped like lead to reveal the entire landscape has become a discolored desert. The gray sand underneath my feet begins to swirl around me in a circle.

I take a cautionary step outside the swirling sand as a white fluid appears in the center. The grey sand and fluid coalesce into... a perfect monochrome copy of me.

 **"Nice to finally meet you... partner."**

His eyes glow a vibrant gold to accent his distorted voice. Instead of wearing the same clothes as me, he stands in a white Hakama tied by a black belt.

"Just who the hell are you, and why did you bring me here?"

He leans his head back to chuckle, the mirth slowly breaking out into uncontrollable laughter. He slowly places the palm of his right hand against his chest.

 **"You see, the funny part is I don't have a name, I was just recently born. I also didn't call you here... you called out to me."**

None of this was making much sense to me, this entity claimed to be me and even had my Spiritual Pressure. He seemed much more powerful than I, by a fair margin.

 **"I am your raw instincts, your darkest desires, and greatest primal fears that you sought to bury in the back of your mind. Now that I exist, there is no getting rid of me."**

His eyes previously alight with mirth suddenly widened with tinges of fear. He takes a step back and looks up into the night sky, seeing something I couldn't.

 **"Ichigo... something is coming. You need to wake up and find Rukia quickly."**

The resting sand whipped up into the air violently, quickly obscuring my dark instincts. His distorted chuckles reach me once before the world darkens from within the sandstorm.

 **"No worries, Ichigo. I'm not going anywhere... and I'm only going to get stronger."**

* * *

I sit up in my bed back at the clinic only to be forced back onto my back as Spiritual Pressure hits me. It was completely unlike any of the other Hollows I had encountered with Rukia.

The power it emitted was on another level completely, this thing could wipe out all of Karakura with a Cero. Why would it be here though? Rukia was in the Soul Society, and I was...

 _ **Suppressing your Spiritual Pressure?**_

It made perfect sense now, this Hollow was here looking for me specifically. Even if I managed to lay low it would eventually pinpoint my location and carnage would ensue.

 _ **If you reveal your presence, partner, we will both die. Think this through carefully.**_

I ignored the voice in my head in favor of running downstairs. My dark instincts went quiet as I slipped outside, feeling the oppressive Spiritual Pressure much better.

I crack my neck once and flare my own Spiritual Pressure in response, causing the Hollow to immediately end its search. The air shuddered as the aftereffect of its fast movement towards my position.

I nearly fell in surprise as I took in its unique appearance as it circled me from the sky. What I was facing was eons ahead of my understanding, in power and intelligence.

A Hollow created from the amalgamated souls of hundreds of separate Hollows evolved even further. The windows of the building in the neighborhood shatter as it lands in front of me.

The ground shatters under its weight, it pays it no attention as its wings fold behind it back. I take an involuntary step backwards as reality truly began to take a hold of me.

Red eyes watch me solemnly from behind an intricate mask, connected to an entire serpentine body covered in segmented scales. An Adjuchas had come to town to play.

* * *

Rukia slowly crossed through the Senkiamon, having already retrieved the information she was searching for. Her nonchalant expression lasts for about half a second before she notices the literal dragon Hollow flying above Karakura.

It quickly came to the obvious conclusion that this was an Adjuchas, searching for a person with massive Spiritual Pressure. There was only one human in Karakura that fit the requirements for attracting a Hollow of this caliber, and that was Ichigo.

She only had a single combination powerful enough to beat this Hollow, and it wasn't battle tested. She tightens the grip on her Zanpakuto to erase her cloudy doubts.

 _I can harbor no fear if I am to beat this Hollow._

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"

She flash stepped at full speed towards the dragon Hollow is it moved to confront me. Summoning all the Spirit Energy she could handle at the moment.

Her feet nimbly touch a building several blocks away as its armored tail bisects a building completely. She passes the airborne wreckage only to pause above the building overlooking the Hollow.

She could barely believe that I was facing it directly, even with the path of destruction it had left to find him. As its wings fold him she prepares to strike it down from behind.

"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!"

The Adjuchas ignores her presence and building Spirit Energy up until she released the avalanche of ice. It turns its head a fraction before being engulfed in a cloud of frosty air.

She then stabs her Zanpakuto into the ground to prepare for her double incantation. The ice already beginning to strain against the Adjuchas.

"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens."

Its tail wrenches free of its icy restraints and forcefully bashes into the rest of the ice. Cracks form all along the structure, its Spiritual Pressure breaking through.

"Entanglement of lightning, curtain of ignorance, and chains of fate! Rest now and repent your vicious sins!"

Its wings burst forth, completely freeing it from its temporary prison. It quickly begins to turn and face her, eyes narrowing at her glowing hands.

"Bakudo 63: Sajo Sabaku!"

From the shadows of the night three golden chains restrict its mouth, wings and front limbs. It lands heavily on its side, facing her with an expression of absolute horror.

"Now... Hado 73: Soren Sokatsui!"

The building underneath her shakes under her amassed Spiritual Pressure as she brings her hands together. A small ball of blue flame appears before soaring forward to engulf the entirety of the dragon Adjuchas.

She holds the pose for several long moments as smoke fills the air. Feeling the Hollow Spiritual Pressure begin to dim allows her to collapse onto her knees.

 _I've never used that double incantation before, and I don't think I could do it again._

The Hollow within the smoke cloud shakes its head once before breaking the golden bindings around its mouth. The ones on its wings break next, allowing him to blow the dust and grit away to reveal his living status.

The segments adorning its wings begin to fluidly grow for a moment, causing Rukia to gasp. It flaps its wings once, sending the old and broken scales flying everywhere.

Several pierce Rukia's flesh right through her Shihakusho, the momentum carrying her backwards. The Hollow sneers as the final chains break around its arms.

"Such a noble effort, those spells really had some serious bite to them. Had that Hado spell been any higher you would have actually destroyed my mask, and ended my evolution prematurely."

She sits up and scoots back in horror as the Hollowing slithers up the side of the building. It had chosen to devour her first after all.

"This is the end of the line Soul Reaper. Your potential is great, such a shame you encountered me too early."

I remain frozen to the same spot as the horror before me bled into the past. Just like before I was helpless to save the people who tried to protect me.

 _This is all my fault... again._

No, I would sit still and allow to happen before my eyes. Never again would I passively watch as others tried to protect me... not when I didn't deserve it.

The air around me began to shimmer and glow a vibrant green color. The Hollow pays me no mind as I shoot forward in a blur of speed towards his exposed back.

My fist connects with a satisfying crunch, the dragon reflexively curling inward. I pull my fist back again and connect once more, several spider web like cracks appearing its spine.

Its tail painfully connects with my exposed side, sending my flying down the street. It turns away from Rukia angrily as I appear unharmed from the crater he helped create.

I really couldn't feel my side, but he definitely didn't need to know that. I crack my right shoulder reflexively, trying to get some feet back into my arm and side.

The previously damaged segments of the Hollow begin to melt, signaling an impending attack. It thrusts both wings in my direction, the street easily perforated like Swiss cheese.

I appear just below the building with causing the Hollow to gasp in surprise at my suddenly increased speed. Its tail slowly moves into an easier position to strike.

 _Just like I thought, I can move incredibly fast but it burn my reserves and body out quickly._

I disappear in another blur of speed, reappearing in front of him with my fist cocked back. His tail lashes out at this moment smashing into my good side and sending me careening deep into the earth below.

I definitely felt something break this time around, unable to move very much at all. Blood slowly pouring my numerous wounds as the debris clears from the air.

The Hollow chuckles almost sweetly as the fight slowly begins to drain from my limbs alongside my blood. I twitch and shake almost uncontrollably as the Hollow draws closer.

"Such a valiant effort, and interesting power displayed by a simple human. If only I didn't have to eat you alive."

My nails bleed as I force myself to sit up inside the divot. The Adjuchas pauses in amazement at my sheer force of will to live.

It forcibly pins me to the street underneath its claws, the one in the middle puncturing my stomach easily. The twitching of my limbs still as the blood flow out of me takes its toll.

"You honestly thought you could stop me from having my way, boy?"

My eyelids droop as its words stop reaching me completely, all feeling slowly disappearing. This was exactly like before, nothing had changed at all.

"You're not strong enough, and you never would have been."

In the murky depths of darkness underneath my eyelids a small white light appeared. My breath hitched as the light grew and took shape, the faintest outline of the Hollow appeared before me.

 _Is that the Hollow? No... that's it's... Spirit Energy..._

My life force that was previously fading began to gather once more. Fluid strings of white Spiritual Pressure poured from the wound in my stomach in earnest.

The Spiritual Pressure became even denser and took on a green color. The energy surrounding the Hollow and I in a pillar that caused it pain, and me excitement.

* * *

 **Part 5: A Fullbring Fit For a Protector Is Born!**

* * *

The Adjuchas retracts it claw from my stomach and attempts to move backwards and out of harm's way. The swirling ropes of Spiritual Pressure encircle the entire arm, preventing the Hollow from escaping.

I find myself able to stand once again, the white ropes of Spiritual Pressure continuing their journey up the Hollows arm. I roar a battle cry as the energy ceases moving and glows intensely.

The Hollow allows it eyes to widen as the entire street is engulfed in a white explosion. Smoke blankets the area as the Hollow is thrown backwards, its entire right arm gone up to the joint.

I fly out of the other side of the cloud, my entire body incased in a pure white bodysuit. The gaping hole in my stomach slowly heals up, white energy covering the area as it does.

I breath heavily as every other wound disappears in nothingness, a strip of white slowly traveling across my face. I clench my fists, absolutely exhilarated at the feel of power between my fingertips.

My grin disappears at the sound of the same Hollow that helped me mature further screaming in anger. It spread its wings in anger, flying towards me with a gust of wind.

I stomp my right foot into the ground for leverage, spider web like cracks appearing as I shoot off to meet its challenge. Rukia grins as the dragon completely goes off the deep end, ignoring her completely.

"Bakudo 4: Hainawa!"

The crackling coil of yellow rope bind its midsection, allowing the opening I needed. Its eyes open in realization as my fist impacts its chest, just in front of its wings.

I grin as I hear a sickening crunch, the dragon Adjuchas flying backwards. The rope Bakudo breaks a moment later, the front of its mouth open to reveal a red Cero forming.

The Spiritual Pressures pushes me backwards, enough power to level the half of the city it was pointing at. I realize that there was only one way to fix this, without everyone dying.

I raise my right palm out to the Hollow as a sign of defeat.

"Alright, I give, you wanted me? Well you can have me, just after we leave this world."

The Cero fizzles out like a candle in the cold wind of night, red eyes watching me cautiously. A vicious tearing noise ensues as a black hole appears in thin air.

Rukia struggles onto her knees, using her Zanpakuto to stay upright.

"No, Ichigo please don't!"

I turn back to look at her for a moment, a smile gracing my lips as I silently thank her for caring. I jump through the black void, following closely by the Adjuchas.

 _I won't allow you to hurt the people I care about, you must first go through me._

* * *

The gate closes behind and the darkness lasts a moment before the light of the moon shines through. Sand as far as the eye could see, oddly reminiscent of the place inside my own mind.

The air is filled with heavy amounts of Reishi that quickly surround and begin to suffocate me. I begin to shake again as my Spirit Energy skyrockets once more, my armor reshaping and becoming more pronounced.

I turn to face the Adjuchas as my power stabilizes, the air weighing down as we battle with Spiritual Pressure. Another Cero forms in its mouth, and another feeling begins to overcome me.

The beam of destruction speeds towards me as I close my eyes, the sand beneath me shaking. A flicker of green luminescence appears at the soles of my feet as I literally fly into the air above the Hollow.

The stump of an arm it had quickly begin to regenerate as it chose to pursue me. I shift my center of gravity to allow myself to fall with my back facing down.

A grin appears as two circles appear below both my feet, one inside the other. I fly in the opposite direction as the Hollow bites down on the place I was previously.

I right myself in midair just as another Cero passes by my shoulder, sending the entire patch of sand high into the air. I land on the sand below for a moment before another flicker of green light pushes me out of harm's way.

I see other Hollows far and wide immediately clear the area, to leave predator with its prey. I survey the landscape far left and far right as a barrage of bone shrapnel rains down from above.

In the far distance there is nothing, no structures and no naturally large rocks. Only sand and without the strength to defeat this Hollow meant my chances of surviving to see my family again sank considerably.

The chances of running into another Hollow strong enough to get rid of this one wasn't to appealing either. It was too late to apologize or say goodbye to all those I failed to protect.

The situation only grew darker as I realized Hueco Mundo was a near endless desert. I then remembered something extremely important about my recent transformation.

I close my eyes as I continue to dodge and weave around, the darkness quickly becoming a landscape of color. I could see the Spirit Energy of all things as part of this power of mine.

To the north was the most concentration of Spirit Energy, a blinding city. To the west was the lowest concentration by far, I checked the exact opposite direction.

 _Bingo!_

A structure composed entirely of Reishi towered above the sands, but remained quaint compared to the city. I could lose this Hollow if I reached it, I just knew it.

The sand kicks up in a flash of green luminescence as I change direction, the Adjuchas narrowing it eyes. The moment my feet touch the sand, the sound of a Cero being charged causes me to tense again.

The sand underneath explodes outward, missing me entirely again but growing more accurate. I felt like I was getting better as controlling my speed and power but the price was steep.

I was already reaching my limits while this Hollow was still raring to go. I closed my normal senses off the world again to see Spirit Energy.

I blink in surprise as I pass over bonelike pillar jutting out of the sand seemingly composed of Reishi. The Hollow pays it no mind so I decide to file it away for possibly analysis later.

I frown as I feel another Cero being formed in its maw, tensing in preparation of dodging. The Hollow waits patiently as I disappear in a flicker of green light, the Cero fired adjacent of my planned reappearance.

My feet touch the sand for a moment before my right forearm disappears in a flash of red. My trajectory changes immediately flying left and crashing into the sand multiple times before coming to a stop.

With my diminished Spiritual Energy the wound doesn't immediately close up and heal. The blood loss was already beginning to stain the sand, the world began to dim.

The Hollow slowly slithers towards me, a smugness in its eyes as finally catching its prey. I cough once as I try to sit up, my hand slipping in the rapidly growing red sand.

 _Who would have thought an arm wound... would do me in?_

My eyes are forced open again to look at the night sky as the sound of Cero charging up.

 _I thought it wanted to eat me._

My shock increases tenfold as the Cero passes directly over me, from a totally different direction. A brilliant purple Cero which strikes the dragon Adjuchas directly, sending it flying backwards before impacting a sand dune.

Unlike before the sand does something I would liken to a nuclear bomb. Flying hundreds of feet into the night sky in the shape of a mushroom cloud.

Two feet softly impact the sand just behind my head, chuckling as it looked like I would die anyway. My eyes begin to unconsciously close again as mop of unkempt purple hair comes into view.

Purples eyes shine for a moment before I lose consciousness completely. A hand then firmly grips my bleeding stump, a white fluid slowly travels down the arm and flows over the blood.

The clotting my blood is immediate, my life which previously hung in the balance was saved in an instant. Another Cero begins to form as the Adjuchas stirs from underneath the sand.

The two Hollows square off for a moment before the dragon takes flight with a snarl. The Hollow looks down at me for a moment as I groan in discomfort, before looking back at the sky.

A Garganta opens up a second later, the Hollow carrying me through on its shoulders. A surprisingly gentle Hollow would have been the understatement of the year.

A moment later in the human world a similar black void opened in an empty alleyway. The Hollow steps through cautiously, and props me up against the nearest building.

The Hollow checks my wounds again, a smile forming under their mask. The Hollow stands again to leave, a smile appears on my sleeping visage as it pauses.

A cosmic thank you on my part if you will.

The black void closes a moment later leaving me alone in the alley, wounded but alive. The Spiritual Pressure of the Hollow that saved me quickly vanishing.

* * *

Rukia appears not long after, surveying the area with an odd look on her face. She crouches down to get a better look at me, my white bodysuit made of Spiritual Pressure already dissipated.

"Ichigo... what happened to your arm...?"

There wasn't a stump, but clinging to the stump was a mass of pure Hollow Spiritual Pressure. She recoils in disgust before staring in amazement as it slowly moves in through my skin.

A moment later my entire forearm begins to regenerate, slowly and deliberately. It was the most disgusting and intriguing thing she had ever seen in her entire life.

My palm regenerates next, leading slowly into my digits. She picks the arm up by the wrist to get a closer look, detecting no anomalies in the limb.

 _It healed perfectly, only high level Hollows possess such an ability. This means he was saved by a Hollow when he entered Hueco Mundo._

She places her arm flat against my chest, a green light illuminating the dark alleyway. Compared to my missing limb, my other injuries were minor bumps and scrapes. Even my damaged ribs.

My face scrunches up pain for a moment as my strained ribs move back into place. Discomfort or not, I remained unconscious to the world.

"Alright Ichigo, I'm going to get you home now."

* * *

Deep with the recesses of my mind I casually lay down in the comfortable sand. My monochrome double stands near me, a smirk adorning his features.

 **"You did real well, Ichigo. Even though you were saved in the end."**

I look at him for a moment before allowing my head to fall back down with a smile.

"Thank you, that means a lot... even coming from myself."

He narrows his eyes for a moment before grinning even wider.

 **"You accept your darker impulses and pure instincts as your true self?"**

"It would be idiotic to suppress a part of myself so powerful, who probably understands me better than I understand myself."

He starts chuckling darkly, yellow eyes twinkling with amusement. The sand underneath his feet crunches as he turns and starts walking away.

 **"It's time to wake up partner... but before you go, I remembered something."**

He turns back to look at me seriously for a moment.

 **"You wanted to know my name? I remember now, my name is White."**

* * *

x

* * *

 _ **I won't raise my sword against the innocent, it would be the opposite reason of why I became a Soul Reaper.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**I Do Not Own Bleach. I do own any future OCs.**

* * *

 **Part 1: Honour and Soul Reapers.**

* * *

My eyes snapped open and I violently leap from my bed, almost instantly collapsing on the floor in pain. A clutch my side in pain, not noticing the fluorescent green light envelope me from behind.

"A Hollow goes through all the trouble to save you, and you jump out of bed trying to kill yourself."

I groan painfully in response as Rukia continues heal my injured body from the previous night. I wondered how much she knew about what really happened, I would just have to watch carefully.

"I retrieved buried information from the Soul Society regarding your special powers. You are known as a Fullbringer, a spiritually aware human with Hollow like powers."

The green light fades and I find myself able to sit up again. She pauses, a pained look marring her delicate features.

"The Soul Society has an order out to exterminate Fullbringers we come across in our time slaying Hollows. Of course this was a buried file, I wasn't told to do so when I came to Karakura."

"What did it say Fullbringers were like? I mean why did we have to be eliminated?"

She ignores the question in favor of pulling out a duck shaped canister and tossing it to me. It struck me as an odd thing for a Soul Reaper to carry around.

"That is Soul Candy you've got in your hands, I bought it last night to test out a theory I have."

"A theory?"

She nods, reaching into her Shihakusho to pull out her mysterious phone. I had the impish thought that she kept it in a bra of sorts. It was probably best to keep the theory to myself.

"Humans who leave their physical bodies are connected by the Chain of Fate. I just wonder if the Chain of Fate would still be around for Fullbringers."

That sounded like an interesting theory, so why not try it out? I press down on the head of the dispenser, a green pill popping directly into my mouth.

I swallow and wait patiently for several moments before I got a strange feeling inside my body. I felt like my soul was being split in two from the very center of my being.

I crouch down as the room begins to spin, my body quickly beginning to distort. A bright light fills my vision as the pain stops, as I was literally split into identical copies.

A silver chain connected us both from the chest, I raise my right arm to touch the chain. The metal felt solid and strong, but it gave off a strange heat.

"So this is the Chain of Fate?"

Green Spiritual Pressure swirls around my spiritual body as I place my palm over my heart. Fluid white Spiritual Energy leaks from my pours and mucus membranes to surround my body.

My identical self remains limp and lifeless as my Fullbring completes its activation. The Chain of Fate snaps loose from my chest and slowly reels itself into my real body. My body stands moments later, facing both of us and saluting.

"Hello master, ma'am, my name is Ichigo Kurosaki! Early to bed early to rise, that's my motto."

I gasp in utter horror while Rukia narrows her eyes, studying my body with serious scrutiny. Her Zanpakuto slowly coming out into the open threateningly.

"You're not Yuki the duck. Just who are you exactly?"

My body blinks once, then twice before leaping directly out of the window. Glass shatters out and onto the ground, his speed was inhuman. He touches down momentarily at street level before leaping even higher than before.

My panic level was rising as he leaped onto a building and out of my sight. Rukia remained surprisingly calm despite all this.

"It's a Mod Soul in the flesh. Never thought I'd get to see one up close and personal."

"That thing just took my body!"

Rukia stares pressing buttons her phone, a beeping sound emanating from her phone. She still didn't appear to be the slightest bit worried.

"That _thing_ is the data I was trying to collect. Fullbringers who allow their souls to leave their bodies can quickly run out of Spirit Energy. The Mod Soul should have collapsed."

She disappears in a Flash Step and then reappears just as quickly with my body in tow. She drops my body onto the ground, every ounce of Spirit Energy depleted already.

The Mod Soul continues to wheeze pathetically already nearing the hyperventilating stage. She reaches down towards the Mod Soul, the Chain of Fate reappearing on its chest.

She pulls the Chain of Fate back to its normal length before reattaching it my chest. The wheezing stops as suddenly as it began as the transfer of Spirit Energy began. The Mod Soul calmly waits for the end as the gravity of the situation weighs on his head.

"You might as well just put me out of my misery... just make the suffering end quickly..."

His words resonated with my heart, the quiet sound of anguish. Suddenly Mod Souls didn't seem so evil and malicious to me. I was overcome with the feeling that he should be able to live.

A quick chop to the throat and the green pill comes out of its mouth and into her waiting hand. I got the feeling that Soul Reapers didn't exactly keep Mod Souls around for companionship.

I wanted to say something to her, to stand up for him. I really did, but I turned out to still be a coward. My resolve was weak and unstable.

"I've already broken a law by fraternizing with a powerful Fullbringer, what's the harm of adding a Mod Soul to that charge. Besides a Mod Soul can be extremely useful to have around."

She holds the green pill out to me, and swiftly drops it into my waiting hands. I close my hand around the green pill as she turns away with a solemn expression.

"I need to go douse your family again, can't have them wondering about your window now can we?"

As the door closes behind her I hold the green pill up to get a better look at it. My thoughts are pulled from the Mod Soul as I detect the faint Spiritual Pressure of a Hollow.

 _That's amazing, I can actually feel the Hollow all the way from here._

The timing was perfect, Rukia was busy and had yet to notice. I bring the pill closer to my mouth only hesitating for moment this time.

 _Let's try this again._

The pill goes down much easier this time, my soul separating from my body in a burst of Spiritual Pressure. I grip the base of my Chain of Fate, feeling the hot metal groan before reeling back into my real body.

The Mod Soul stands up after a moment, wobbly but looking much better. He looked like he had just enough strength to get through the day. The Chain of Fate fades from view as it served its purpose.

"I will be right back, stall for time if necessary."

The Mod Soul pauses to touch the center of my chest, where the Chain of Fate should have been. He looks up seriously, nodding his confirmation.

I shift my stance as green flames appear at my feet quickly disappearing from view. Each time my feet touched down another spout of green luminescent flames would appear to give me lift.

My movement was fluid and accurate, even more so than before and boy did it feel good. I was getting much faster the more I used my Fullbring and who even knew if I had a limit?

My eyes flashed in excitement as the Hollow came within my sight. I felt like the vicious hunter about to destroy its prey. Green flames appeared around my hands as I zeroed in on it.

This Hollow was too busy attempting to eat the souls of humans to realize he was being targeted himself. It realizes several moments too late that the massive surge of Spiritual Pressure was closing in on it specifically.

Two lime green circles appear behind my leg, giving me the proper boost to knock the centipede like Hollow off course, just barely saving a student of my own school. It slams deep into the pavement, unable to free itself from the indentation.

The green fire swirls around my fists as I concentrate beginning to spread up my forearms. I disappear with a burst of Bringer Light and slam my right fist deep into its mask. The Hollow howls in pain as I force my other hand into its mask, cracks forming all over.

The otherworldly howling ends abruptly and its body begins to convert into Reishi. The spirit particles swirl around me instead of dissipating, absorbing directly into my flames.

The power I absorbed felt like nothing until it mixed with my own. It felt amazing, about the closest I had ever felt to being drunk on anything. My eyes flash green for a moment as I breathe deeply.

I shake my head vigorously before glancing at the younger students to make sure they were uninjured. Fortunately they weren't injured, but they cowered in fear anyway.

I disappear with Bringer Light, quickly jumping back towards home. I would most certainly embrace this power if it would allow me to atone for my sins. I could protect people now, but I would never get the chance to protect her again.

I could even see clearer, as hard as that is to believe. I could see clearly into my room from blocks away as if I was at the window. The Mod Soul stand firmly up against the doors to my closet.

Green flames lick at my feet as I gracefully skid back into my room. I hear the excited shouts of my father downstairs destroying anytime for chatting. I place my palm against my own chest, the Chain of Fate becoming visible again.

I plug the hot steel into my spirit chest, already prepared for the green pill. I close my fist around it as my soul and body become one once more. The experience was sweet, and the Mod Soul was even cooler.

I silently give thanks to the Mod Soul before sitting it down on my bed for the day. I take the stairs two at a time, actually starving for once and prepared for anything my father might try.

Rukia casually stands at the bottom of the stairs, but thinking critically about my increase in power. It was different than before I awakened my Fullbring. Instead of changing the composition of my power, it added to it.

I sit down at the table and scarf down the food without preamble, my father glancing at me curiously. I was too busy feeling trying to get a grip on my increased power to notice.

I was late for sure and both Yuzu and Karin were already gone, off to school. The moment my father gets up to clean his dish I am hit with an overwhelming feeling.

I instinctually place two fingers over the rim of my glass of orange juice. I wasn't sure what I was doing, but something told me to do it. I had nothing to lose by doing it.

I consciously poured my Spirit Energy into the glass, my eyes widening as the color changes. I slowly move my hand away from the glass, the orange juice following closely behind.

My heart skips a beat as it moves of its own accord, directly into my waiting mouth. I stare at my palm for a moment to get a handle on what I'd just done.

"No... that wasn't me at all... it assisted me in drinking it."

"What the hell are you mumbling about son? Don't you still have school to get to?"

He was right, I could investigate this strange power during school breaks or something. I scoot back in my chair and turn to leave, my bag in tow.

"Ichigo, hold up a sec..."

I turn back for a moment and a tiny red square of fabric flies into my right hand. I hold it by the strings for a moment trying to understand the meaning of this object.

"It was a protective charm your mother originally owned, Ichigo."

I stare at the charm for a moment and then back at my father before turning to leave. A second pair of footsteps alerts me to the presence of Rukia tailing me closely.

* * *

"Your father giving you that charm reminded me I needed to tell you some important things. When I went back to the Soul Society I dug up more information on Fullbringers."

I remain silent and listen with half an ear, wondering if this really belonged to my mother. I wasn't sure how this made me feel, especially with the anniversary of her death so close.

"The most important thing I found was something called object affinity. A Fullbringers power lies dormant for highly varied amounts of time, sometimes without the person ever discovering it. This power is awakened by strong feeling of attachment, love, and even disgust in regards to an object."

"Does that involve working with the souls of objects by any chance? I have been feeling this really weird pulling sensation coming from just about everything me."

She chuckles to herself for a moment before pointing at me, more specifically, my heart.

"You've achieved this already, your heart was the catalyst. Fullbringers pull on the soul in their object and fuse it with their own. This ability can happen with multiple items."

"I think I see your point, this protective charm might just be my next one. I'm not so sure how I feel about it just yet though."

Rukia remains silent, unsure about how to respond to that. She would have thought I'd be elated to have something my mother owned.

She didn't understand that it was an extremely complicated reality I faced. I loathed remembering that cursed evening on June 17.

"I need to think, we can talk after school if you're still interested."

She nods and disappears in a Flash Step, leaving me to my dreary thoughts. It was going to be a long day, and one I was sorely use to.

* * *

My feet echoed in the hallway later that afternoon as school ended. Rukia as predictable as ever waited patiently as the school entrance.

"Have fun at school, Ichigo? We need to talk about something important. Follow me."

* * *

Deep within the Rukon District tucked away inside the Soul Society, two Soul Reapers stood across from one another. One had the majority of his face obscured by a black mask while the other wore a tan hat.

"Who is it today?"

"Rukia Kuchiki, from Squad 13."

"What offense has that young lady committed?"

The man with the face covering turns to go but pauses, he didn't really have to give an explanation. He couldn't deny his own curiosity.

"She checked back in several days ago but took a detour to the archives and retrieved... sensitive information. Information about Fullbringers to be precise."

"Is that all?"

The man grunts in annoyance at his charge.

"I wouldn't be talking to you if that were all, something much bigger is going on out there. You are to find out just what that is."

The Soul Reaper with the facing covering disappears in a Flash Step, leaving the first alone. He sighs before tilting his straw hat to hide his eyes.

* * *

 **Part 2: Quincies and Hollows.**

* * *

"That meeting sounded like quality fun, Ichigo, but you don't look happy."

"None of them really are... tomorrow is the anniversary of _her_ death."

"Your mother?"

Rukia looks around nervously when I remain silent, staring through my window into the downpour. She wasn't sure what she could possibly say in this situation.

"Yes... tomorrow is the anniversary of her murder."

"I see, and I'm sorry to hear it. I can stay away tomorrow if you'd like..."

I turn back towards her as she allows her sentence to hang over the abyss. If she expected me to hate her all of a sudden she had the wrong person.

"You can come with us if you want... despite your demeanor saying otherwise you're very similar to her."

Rukia bows her head, unwilling to accept the compliment as I prepare for a sleepless night. Just like always the nightmares would come, and they would not leave until the light of dawn.

* * *

I stood on the sidewalk motionless underneath the current downpour of cold rain. My expression remained neutral as a much younger me walked on the other side with my mother.

I could never truly be certain of what happened that dreadful evening, but I know it was my fault. My younger self took notice of the younger girl leaning towards the river.

He took off like the idiot I still was, my jaw clenches as I take a step into the street to stop them both. I would have gone further if I hadn't felt a hand on my shoulder.

I could already feel my tear ducts straining as I turned an angry face to... White. The perpetual grin on his face was gone and he looked solemn.

 **"You cant change the past through distorted memories Ichigo, you can either cry or close the wound."**

I wanted to be angry with him, to tell him that he could never understand. I knew deep down at that moment that we were both connected, he was hurting too.

 **"A benefit to me remembering is that you can now get the full story. You need to stop blaming yourself for her death, watch closely."**

Masaki ran after my younger self, but not with the gait of a normal human. She could see what I could see that day, her hands came together for a moment.

Reishi began to condense in her hands for a moment before a pillar of light covers her person. The light disappears in the next instant, leaving a disoriented Masaki.

My heart rate skyrocketed as a hamster like Hollow materialized to make the kill. It brutally impaled her through the chest, one spindly red arm pinning me to the ground.

Blood leaks from her mouth for a moment before her soul separates from her body. He swallows her soul whole in a disgusting display. I force myself not to cover my ears as the Chain of Fate is crunched to pieces.

He prods my unconscious form before disappearing through a Garganta. The memory quickly begins to fade into obscurity, White bows his head.

 **"It's time to focus our energy into something greater than self-pity. If that Hollow hasn't been cleansed, then we must use our strength to do so. Masaki is still inside that overgrown hamster. You need to remember that."**

We return the sands of my inner world as I turn away from White. A bittersweet smile appears on my face as I begin to walk away.

"Yeah... thanks, White."

"Anytime, Ichigo... I'm here to stay."

Back inside my room, the painful nightmares ended and peace descended upon my features. The guilt had finally dissipated into nothingness, thanks to a Hollow.

* * *

We got up early the next day, like we always did after mom died. We all missed her dearly, but I no longer blamed myself for the event. I had to wonder if Hollows could be generically blamed either.

The drive was short, and the light of the early morning was dim. All I had to do was focus on something else other than her grave.

I could feel Rukia following us to the graveyard. I got the feeling that she knew grief too, pain was something that transcended races and species.

The walk up the hill was grim and somber, my two sisters leading while my father was at the rear. Rukia calmly walked beside, one hand around the pommel of her Zanpakuto.

Regret was a nasty emotion to live with, the less you had the better. I dread the day Rukia and I would part, because we both shared a pain that bonded us together.

The wound for her was deep and jagged as mine previously was, and I knew I somehow reminded her of it. My sonar like senses begin to pick something else out here. A source of Spiritual Pressure camped out in the trees, watching us closely.

I gave it a moment and Rukia noticed without my help, the hand gripping her Zanpakuto tensing. It was definitely a Soul Reaper watching us. I previously thought they were all on the same side.

"Ichigo, forgive me for withholding pertinent information, but I will tell you now. A long time ago a man named Kugo Ginjo became the first ever Substitute Soul Reaper. Soon after he betrayed the Soul Society and was stripped of his powers, but he discovered something far scarier."

I raise my right hand to my heart, the source of my Fullbring Powers. I think I knew what she was about to explain to me.

"He became a Fullbringer, just like you. Soul Society shifted gears and began to actively target your kind in search of him, but he was never found. When this Soul Reaper confronts me, stay away and do not use your Fullbring no matter the situation."

I didn't like it at all, regardless of the circumstances I would rush to her side should he attack. She had to already know that, she knew me well enough to know that.

She stopped as she reached the stop, turning to look at me seriously. Her feet turn and she disappears in a Flash Step. I didn't think I could mourn properly while worrying about her.

 _Be safe Rukia._

* * *

Rukia allowed her petite frame to come to a rest underneath the shade of a tree, angry to have lost the Soul Reapers presence already. Her sword is drawn instantly, half way out of it's sheathe to block a downward strike from a member of the Stealth Force.

He was strong, but just from the feeling of his sword she knew hers was sharper. He must have realized it too because he leaped backwards to engage her in Kido.

"Bakudo 4: Hainawa!"

The crackling yellow rope didn't make it halfway to her before being obliterated by her retaliating Kido.

"Hado 33: Sokatsui!"

She waits patiently for the pale flames to come to a stop, hoping she hadn't killed them man. She gets her answer as he reveals himself, protected by the husk of an upright tree.

"I don't suppose the Stealth Force has deemed me a target to be killed?"

"I figured you would get all sassy on me. You in cahoots with a Fullbringer? That's what the command would like to know."

To her credit she kept a neutral face, her Zanpakuto reflecting the sunlight as she took a stance. He had no explicit proof, and gathering information wasn't illegal just... suspicious.

"You might want to check your sources..."

"You've forgotten my name already? Its Eikichiro Saido and my sources are clean!"

He leapt towards her again, cautiously keeping far enough to avoid Hakuda. She saw the concern in his eyes, he was aware of the mismatched Shikai between them.

He would have to beat her before she activated hers.

He pushes her back with his superior strength and raises his sword above his head. He spins it in a circular motion effortlessly the entire blade beginning to glow.

"Drown her, Uzusame!"

The rotation of his sword grows faster before lengthening, the height eclipsing his. He reaches out and grabs the handle of sword which quickly becomes a staff in his hands.

A vortex of water swirls around his feet before spreading out throughout the woodlands. Rukia shifts her stance in the shallow water, preparing to release her own Shikai when he rockets forward.

Her weapon which has begun to glow for a moment reverted back as he canceled her attempted release. Water began to surround them both as he tried to overpower her physically.

Their skillsets were vastly different, he was equipped with a running water type Zanpakuto and had superior strength. He was a member of the Stealth Force, known to stab their opponents in the back.

She was different, a terrible match for the man in every sense of the way. She was a lieutenant level combatant of Squad thirteen. Her Zanpakuto was an ice and cold air type.

She raises her right foot and kicks into his chest to give her enough leverage to put distance between them. She points her Zanpakuto at the ground, the blade glowing.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"

* * *

I sat with my back against a tree, further away from my mother's grave. I could feel Rukia in battle, but it wasn't my place to intervene. I really wanted to, but I got the feeling my presence would make things worse.

My eyes snapped in the opposite direction as the Spiritual Pressure of a Hollow spiked. Not nearly as strong as the Adjuchas, but close enough to cause me worry.

It was closing in on my sisters as well, and that would be its final mistake. I placed two fingers over my heart, green Spiritual Pressure building around me.

I separate from my real body in a burst of energy, the Chain of Fate snapping taut. Two green circles appear below both my feet, propelling me high into the sky.

I tuck the protective charm into the front of my white bodysuit. I might just need the luck for this Hollow.

Karin paused in her praying at the feeling of a sinister presence. Completely unlike the friendly presence she had been feeling before on their short walk to the grave.

The ground quakes and she quickly pushes Yuzu in the opposite direction fearing for their lives. A red spindly arm reaches out to snag her up, but the idea goes out of the window as my fist slams into its mask.

It grunts before rolling backwards rather gracefully, my feet touching down on the stone. It took me a moment but the sound of White roaring in my mind told me that I already knew this Hollow.

I cracked my knuckles in anger, because this Hollow killed my mother so many years ago. He left a hole in our family that would never really heal.

This Hollow would not leave here alive, at least not if I drew breath.

"I always say the bigger the bait, the bigger the catch and boy did I draw out the big fish. I hope you have more Spirit Energy than your mother did."

My mind whirred quickly in a circle as something snapped inside me, my white bodysuit reshaping at the fingertips. The Hollow pauses as a smidge of doubt entered its mind. Humans don't suddenly develop claws.

I growl as my eyes begin to change color to rather incandescent yellow, two green circles appearing below my feet. I fly towards the Hollow head first, White watching patiently.

A red arm extends from its fur attempting to skewer me right off the bat. I pause within striking distance, allowing the claw to pass me completely before going for his wrist.

I rip the arm from the sharp spiky fur, a spurt of blood following it closely. The Hollow shrieks in pain and backs up defensively, finally realizing it might have bitten off more than it could chew.

I squeeze the forcefully dismembered limb and green flames burst from my palm. The arm quickly becomes Reishi which quickly assimilates with my own energy.

Two green circles of Bringer Step give me the extra force needed to launch the Hollow high into the air. I shift my stance and disappear in a flash of Bringer Light to follow its ascent into the sky.

"How could a mere human go toe to toe with the great Grand Fisher?! I have evaded Soul Reapers for fifty four years, how can this be?!"

I ignore its words and soar closer as a red Cero charges in its maw. With no time to dodge midair I reached out with a flame covered right hand and swatted it in a different direction.

The Cero lands in the woodlands below, uprooting trees and causing a blaze. I ignore the destruction caused and press forward, closer still. Grand Fisher feels the first fear in half a century as a grin forms on my face.

Feverish Yellow eyes and serrated teeth akin to a Hollow. He had made an incorrect assessment, this wasn't a mere human boy. This was more beast than man.

* * *

 **Part 3: Hollow Schneider.**

* * *

Eikichiro shields his eyes and mouth as he is bombarded with a wave of frosty air. All his water frozen and rendered useless in under two seconds flat.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro!"

He immediately sets himself up for a defensive battle, stabbing the end of his staff into the earth. Building up his Spirit Energy for future use.

"Ryuiki!"

Water gushes forth from his staff quickly filling the area with water. Rukia quickly understood his ploy, with him on the high ground of the hill he could wash her away.

She adapts quicks drawing the moon directly in front of her. The pillar of ice extends high into the sky and effectively blocks the water. She cautiously catches her breath as the water cascades around the pillar.

The pillar begins to crack as he focuses a blast of water against it. She knew just the way to surprise this guy.

"Ye Lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on the south!"

The pillar shatters completely and like a floodgate water roars and rushes towards her. She was already prepared, her orb of flames causing her to sweat.

"Hado 31: Shakkaho!"

Three burning red suns rush to battle against the tide of water and she slides into another stance. Her next move would finish this encounter up.

"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!"

The boiling water instantaneously becomes frozen water in an avalanche of cold air. Eikichiro gets a few short moments to ponder his failure on the battlefield before being frozen solid.

Rukia pauses to catch her breath, completely unprepared for the stray Cero that hit the ground near them both. She instinctively dives for cover, a tree passing over where she was moments ago.

She slowly stands back up, staring in shock as I attack Grand Fisher. Even as the blaze intensifies she is unable to take her eyes over my rapidly changing form and Spiritual Pressure.

"Ichigo... just what are you really?"

* * *

I grunt in annoyance and leap backwards as Grand Fisher uses its own fur as a weapon. After he got over his brief respite of fear, he made it obvious he was fast.

A Cero flies past me again, barely missing me. Grand Fisher extends a limb towards me this time around, I miss his chuckle as he misses.

Claws suddenly extend from the finger, grazing my cheek deep enough to draw blood. A drop of blood falls down onto the earth as Grand Fisher tastes my blood.

"Of all the opponents I have ever faced you are the only one to make me actually fear for my life. To think you're not even a Soul Reaper! That all ends now, I have seen deep into your heart and know the one person you could never raise your hand against."

His words registered much too late for me to prepare myself. He grips the top of his lure and then removes the hand to reveal my mother. He _really_ did poke around in my head.

"Ichigo, you must calm down and cease your attacks. I thought you promised to always protect me?"

The lure was nearly identical to Masaki, but it fell short like the cheap imitation it was. She had intended to save me because she was a Quincy, sworn to protect humans from Hollows.

She saved my life at the cost of her own, her sacrifice would not be in vain. The only reason Grand Fisher was still alive was because something happened to Masaki. Someone or something interfered.

"You obviously didn't look deep enough into my heart, or maybe you couldn't. A mother will always rush to her child's side, there is no thinking... only instinct."

The charm began to glow a blinding green, the temperature around me rising drastically. I tried to forcefully grab the charm as the Spiritual Pressure grew stronger.

 _I... can't control the power, it's just like the first time!_

I finally get my right hand around the charm and the power it accumulated explodes. A pillar of green light breaks through the debris filled smoke. Grand Fisher watches curiously.

Rukia appears on the edge of the clearing as the tip of a green blades emerges from the smoke. I wave the blade once to clear the smoke, my right arm now devoid of armor.

Rukia gasps as she recognizes the blade in my hands, while black in color it could be nothing else. From the box shaped pommel with a rectangle carved out to the buzzing sound.

"That's... a Seele Schneider... the only Quincy weapon that looks like a saber!"

I twirl the blade from its end as my white bodysuit quickly begins to reform. I grin viciously as I finish healing, I already had a name for my new Fullbring.

"Let me make this clear, whatever this looks like to you, it isn't. This is my Hollow Schneider, prepare to die."

"Hah! You believe a weapon will change..."

Grand Fisher was silence as I cut the lure in a perfect perpendicular bisection. A small rush of air leaves his lungs before a deep groove appears across his mask.

"H-how... i-i-impossible... you could raise your blade to your m-m-mother?"

I bring my Hollow Schneider back towards me as Grand Fisher quickly begins to revert to pure Reishi. The particles are quickly absorbed into the blade of my Hollow Schneider as I stare down Grand Fisher.

"You misunderstand, that lure was _never_ my mother."

His red eyes widen in surprise as a translucent spectral form of White appears overtop me. His demeanor shifts to acceptance at finally being defeated by a worthy opponent.

"I see, I never really had a chance to beat you at all."

The remaining part of his body disappears I absorb his remaining Spirit Energy. The green blade retracts back into the coal black hilt and I turn to leave.

I stop as I feel a hand on my shoulder stopping me in my tracts. I turn slowly, my breath hitching as I stare into the ghostly face of Masaki. She smiles at me kindly.

"Mom..."

"Thank you... Ichigo darling."

My lips slowly upturn into a smile, tears gently flowing from my eyes. She begins to float into the air and awake from me but I knew enough to reach for her.

"We will see each other again someday, Ichigo."

I raise my left fist to her, even though our roads may diverge again from here we would go both go home someday. My life and all my achievements, I already knew.

"I'll tell you all about it when I see you again."

She closes her eyes and disappears from view. I sigh quietly, my eyes reverting back to their honey brown color. Rukia releases the breath she had been holding as I passed by her.

"You look like a rabbit frozen by headlights, don't you have Soul Reaper business to attend to?"

She gets a hold of herself moments later and I don't stop to wait for her either. I still had grieving to do after I retrieved my body.

She would send Eikichiro back through the Senkiamon frozen in a block of ice. Alive but very much incapacitated. He never actually got to see me, or my Fullbring.

She could only hope that Soul Society would stop snooping to regroup.

* * *

 **Part 4: What makes a failure?**

* * *

"You're going to that Spirit Hunter event tonight?"

"Yeah, what of it? I ain't just gonna let them go alone. Anything that makes them smile is worth it."

She picks up her sheathed Zanpakuto, looking down at her phone. Moments later she stood on my windowsill, she pauses long enough to look back at me.

"Try to have fun, Ichigo because I have things to investigate today."

"Investigate? What happened to slaying Hollows?"

She pauses for a moment before taking a step back into the room. Her feet touch down on the floor as she turns to me with a frowny face. She didn't look as pretty when she was confused or unhappy.

"That's just the thing, over the past week Hollow sighting have decreased. My Hollow radar as also been malfunctioning, it's my belief that there is a Quincy in Karakura."

It took my mind a moment to catch up to just what she was saying. There were mores Quincies out and about, just like mom? I still had too little information to make assumptions.

"You look disturbed by the thought, what's wrong with Quincies?"

"You exhibit some Quincy qualities, like absorbing weakened Reishi. There are other things, such as the destruction of Souls caused by Quincy Spirit Energy."

That's right she mentioned before that Soul Reapers cleansed the souls of Hollows to send them to the Soul Society. Two factions with the same goal, yet different ideals that clashed.

"What will you do if it's a Quincy?"

"I don't know, no soul deserves to disappear from the cycle of life and death forever. So far I have yet to let anyone down, and that would mean the Quincy should only attack what I miss."

She sounded conflicted and unsure about what to do. I wondered if it was because of my heritage that she hesitated. It seemed that in the past Quincies were dealt with for their draconian way of purifying the world.

"You're supposed to kill them aren't you?"

"Is it terribly obvious, Ichigo?"

She jumps softly back onto the windowsill with an almost sad look on her face. If anything, she was supposed to kill me too. Would she hesitate again?

"Do what you must."

I turn away from the window and she was gone without a sound. What was worse about the situation was I still needed to go to the Spirit Hunter show.

* * *

Later that evening as I stood amongst the crowds the sound of ethereal screaming only increased. It was reaching even some of the people in the crowd, from minor to major.

Eye twitches and wincing, to covering the ears and leaving. It sounded like a Hollow, and even felt like one. The tension of the crowd eased as the host of the show dropped from his helicopter.

The screaming stopped shortly after he landed but I kept my guard up. I felt just about ready to vomit after he roused the crowd with his posing.

"The spirits are always with you!"

The sound of the crowd rose but something else appeared. A soul unlike any I had seen before, bound by countless chains. A partial hole on its chest, distended veins everywhere.

 _What the hell is that? It feels like a Hollow... but looks like a Whole._

My eyes glow green as I use my ability to see Spirit Energy. Its Spiritual Pressure was rapidly building, and I believed now that it would eventually become a Hollow.

It also appeared Don Kanonji wasn't as much a clueless idiot as I thought. He could see spirits with the amount of power he possessed, I was certain.

The end of his staff went into the partially opened hole and that all changed. I take it all back, the guy was a clueless idiot.

I slid my right hand into my pocket as the spirit screamed in agony. The green pill was fished out in a moment and was quickly on its way to my stomach.

My soul separated from my body and the Chain of Fate appeared. Mod took a wobbly step backwards before righting himself. We make eye contact as the chain reels back into his chest.

I leap over the red velvet rope and my Fullbring activates. Kanonji looks back in time for me to halt the movement of his supposed magic stick. I pulled the guy away from the Whole forcefully and all his fight left him.

The howls of uncomfortableness became screams of agony as the Whole really began to sound like a Hollow. The smiles left the faces of the crowd as a fog of unease settled upon their shoulders.

"You fool..."

The chains binding the Whole began to shatter one by one. Its skin began to crack as if it was made of a ceramic material. I was too late to save it.

Its body began to glow a vibrant orange as the cracks spread. I shielded my eyes in time for the explosion, dust covering the entire front of the hospital.

"You need to get back kid, because you obviously have no idea how to handle spirits."

He flaps his cape to clear the smoke around him and raises his fist to the heavens. The crowd grows louder by the second.

"Mission accomplished!"

"I think not, take a closer look _Premier Spiritualist_."

His glasses glint against the moonlight as he gazes upon the silhouette of the Hollow atop the hospital. The blank Hollow mask creaks and moves into a sneer, yellow pupils glowing to life.

A green Cero forms in front of its mouth targeting me first. My eyes glow a luminescent green as I quickly discern how much power the Hollow possessed.

The Cero flies through the air towards me and a smirk appears on my face. I reach out with my right hand and swat the Cero aside without breaking eye contact.

The Hollow pauses and takes a timid step backwards as I flare my Spiritual Pressure. His eyes shift to Kanonji for a moment and he makes an impulsive decision.

He leaps headfirst off the building towards Don Kanonji green goop leaking from its mouth. I clasp my two hands together and intercept the Hollow brutally. Its mask cracks as it flies back up towards the hospital, caving in a wall on entry.

Through the smoke the Hollow glares hatefully at my face before the realization hits it. White appear overtop me in a translucent image causing the Hollow to turn tail and flee.

The ground underneath me lights up in green flames and the glass entrance shatters as I give chase. Don Kanonji quickly stands and dusts himself off before addressing the crowds.

"Evil spirit lords! I'm just gonna... handle these... yeah."

The crowd cheers anyway as he rushes through the entrance after me. Kanonji scratched his head as the quietness permeating the air inside the hospital.

 _With the area so flooded with power I can't sense the kid or the monster._

The first path he took he ended up at a hallway with a dead end. His heart rate speeds up at the sound of the floor crunching behind him. He turns slowly to see the white mask of the drooling Hollow.

"It hurts so much... I must devour you quickly..."

The ground shook as the Hollow pounced through the air towards him. Kanonji held his stick out in front of him, seeing no other way out of the situation.

"Get down you idiot!"

He shakes off the fear and crouches as a bright green saber sails past him. The Hollow shouts in agony as its right arm falls to the floor, green and red fluids leaking from the wound.

It turns to its immediate right and breaks right through the wall. I hear pieces of the building fall as it scrabbles up the trying to get away from me.

"Careful, Kanonji, it would love to eat you. You're the perfect meal, spiritually aware but not much power to back it up."

I pull my Hollow Schneider from the wall and climb out of the hole after the Hollow. Kanonji despite his better judgement searches for a flight of stairs to continue the battle.

* * *

I stab the Hollow Schneider into the roof as I pull myself over. I chuckle as the Hollow stands on the opposite side looking around nervously. It stops suddenly as it catches the scent of my Spiritual Pressure.

"Stay away..."

"You're in no position to give orders."

It slams its remaining arm into the roof and charges me in a rage. My grin widens as I lean forward and front flip over the charging Hollow. I skid gracefully to the railing of the building flashing my saber.

The Hollow screams again as its other arm falls off in a single swing. It charges up a second Cero and fires at me in a last ditch effort to kill me. I lean my head to side allowing it to soar further into the night sky.

It shakes its head wildly losing itself to rage and pain before charging again. I stand perfectly still this time but the door to the roof opening stops it cold.

Kanonji grins at the sound of metal crunching into its Hollow mask dazes it. He closes the door right back and the Hollow slams its mask into the door lacking speed.

I use Bringer Light to get the height advantage, prepared to end it before it possibly hurt the guy. It turns to look at me with clear spite, spitting out a vicious green liquid toward me.

I reorient my body to dodge it settling on a kick to the mask instead of a slice. It bashes its head against the door yet again, before the door opens a second time for a double tap.

I catch sight of Kanonji grinning again as he closes the door back. I land and the Hollow bashes its head against the door before turning back to me. It looked positively livid and just about ready to try anything.

The door opens again and this time it leaps back as a small blue ball of Spirit Energy soars through. It ignores the friendly looking energy and rushes the doorway.

I pause in my assault as Kanonji closes the door again, putting a wall between the Hollow and the tiny sphere. My questions were answered as the Hollow made contact, exploding and being thrown backwards.

I disappeared with Bringer Light to make my move, impaling the Hollow through the center of its mask. I retract the saber and the Hollow falls over with a cracking sound.

Kanonji bursts through the door this time giddy and excited. He waved his cape around for emphasis, and I had to admit his power was interesting.

"Kanonji, don't get too excited. You need to see this."

He pauses and looks down at the defeat Hollow which was slowly beginning to add to my power.

"Kid, what do you mean? We should be celebrating this monsters..."

The outer exterior of Hollow Spiritual Pressure flows into my body to reveal the center. His eyes widen as the Whole from before reappears unconscious on the ground.

Kanonji collapses onto his knees, despair clouding his mind. Grief as he realized all the suffering he had inadvertently caused in his life. This was his job wasn't it?

"It can't be... but he's... w-what have I been doing... all these years..."

"It's called a Hollow, think of it as a grotesque human stripped down to its basic instincts."

Tears slowly flow down his cheeks as he counted the times he had 'exercised' a spirit to set them free. He was the fool to think they went to heaven, when they went to a hell.

"My life and mission... is a complete farce. I'm so ashamed of myself."

"You know what Kanonji? Just about every species has something to be ashamed of, and they all make mistakes. Some worse than yours and some better, but you shouldn't dwell on it."

The crowd goes wild as the fighting and explosions of light cease. I guess this usually meant that Kanonji won. I think I understood his career a little better now.

"Stop the sobbing Kanonji, you're _still_ the hero to a lot of people. _Everybody_ is waiting on you, the world still goes on."

He stands back up on his own feet and wipes away the tears from his face. He turns to look at me once before walking up to the railing. The cheers for a farce reverberated in his ears, but to them it was very real.

"Mission accomplished!"

I smile softly and turn back to the Whole lying on the ground. Before I speculate about what to do with him Rukia appears in a Flash Step.

"Hey Ichigo... did you fight a Demi-Hollow?!"

"A Demi-what?"

" _Demi-Hollow_ , Wholes bound to the earth in certain places by chains?"

She ignores me in favor of tapping the hilt of her Zanpakuto to the Demi-Hollows head. The symbol appears and glows as usual and he begins to sink into presumably the Soul Society.

"The Quincy was here tonight. He detected my approaching presence and dampened his Spiritual Pressure. I should also warn you, he probably saw you fight the Demi-Hollow. You reek of unnaturally Hollow Spiritual Pressure, he might try to kill you."

"I'd love to see him try."

* * *

 **Part 5: A Quincies Folly.**

* * *

"How did it go Rukia?"

"That bastard shot an arrow at _me_!"

"Wasn't it you who warned me not to provoke the nervous Quincy?"

I remove the phone from my ear to preserve my hearing as she got loud. She was as easily provoked as the Quincy was, and it was adorable considering she was fifteen times my age.

"Listen Rukia, I'll check my school out with my sensing abilities. If it is a student at my school it make more sense for me to approach him. I probably have a better chance of stabbing him in the back."

"You know that wasn't my intention, Ichigo."

I chuckle good-naturedly to sooth her fears, and make it clear I was joking. Approaching unarmed didn't exactly sound smart, but I didn't know any other way to seem nonaggressive.

I walked out of class leisurely, brushing my spiky orange locks back. My eyes began to glow a luminescent green as I studied the people of my school with scrutiny.

The school should have been empty for the amount of people with more than a modicum of Spiritual Power. I could count them on my fingers and still have some left over.

 _Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, Tatsuki Arisawa, Keigo Asano, Mizuiro Kojima, Chizuru Honsho and..._

"Ametatsu Ishida..."

"You mean Uryu Ishida, Ichigo."

I turn towards the sound of the voice to see a confused Orihime. Had I been pronouncing the Kanji incorrectly? Never heard of the guy either way.

"Is he in our class?"

"Yes, he has been for a while."

I open my mouth to answer when my senses are flooded with the Spiritual Pressure of a Hollow. I apparently still needed to practice my sensing ability because the Quincy was moving towards it already.

I would intercept him this time so we could finally meet. We both had the same objective after all. I look at Orihime who had a questioning look on her face. I had obviously been spacing out.

"Listen, thanks for helping, Orihime. I have to go take care of something, I'll see you later."

She doesn't respond as I turn and make a dash down the corridor. I didn't have the pleasure of switching out of my body this time. I rounded the corner and green flames licked all across my body.

I became a blur as I hit the exit, closing the distance between myself and the Quincy. My Fullbring completes itself on the apex of my jump, the bottom half of my face hidden from the world.

On closer inspection the Hollow was hunting a Whole, I would have to play this right or risk dying. I paused atop of the building overlooking a widened alleyway.

A large black arthropod-like Hollow slowly stalked its Whole prey into a corner. The Quincy appeared moments later, and indeed it was Uryu Ishida. His bow already formed from Reishi and an arrow at the ready.

 _It was time to introduce myself._

I leap down from the building and use Bringer Light to get in-between the arrow and Hollow. Despite my better judgement I reach out with my right hand and catch the arrow.

Ishida pauses and his face shows surprise that he was unaccustomed to. I grab my Hollow Schneider with my other hand and pin the Hollow to the wall with it. I was quickly reward with a savage crunch and the sound of an exoskeleton being ripped to shreds.

"Fancy meeting you here Quincy."

The Reishi from the destroyed Hollow flows into me from behind as I take slow steps backwards. I crush the arrow into Reishi and absorb it as well, causing the Quincy to drop his bow.

I pry my Hollow Schneider from the wall as the Whole snivels into the dirt out of fear. The green edge disappears into the hilt as I reattach it to my waist.

"Forgive me, allow me to introduce myself. I am Ichigo Kurosaki, Karakura's Fullbringer."

"Uryu Ishida, one of the few remaining Quincies. What is a Fullbringer? You seem more like a Hollow to me."

I pull the section of my Fullbring down from my mouth as he stares at me skeptically. With his initial shock fading he looked like he might be contemplating killing me already.

"Did you know every time you kill a Hollow you destroy the existence of every soul still imprisoned within it?"

"Yes, I am well aware of the consequences of my actions. I wouldn't have to slay the ones I do if the Soul Reaper did her job more efficiently."

My gaze hardens to steel at his admission to knowingly destroying innocent souls. His right hand twitches as he detects my rising hostility.

"Listen up, Ishida we can handle the Hollows without help. I'm only gonna say it once, stop meddling."

"I catch your drift, Kurosaki. How about a contest to decide it then, who can slay the most Hollows. If you win I will step down, but if you lose it will be you who steps down."

He pulls out a small white disk, his glasses glinting. A small bead of sweats rolls down my neck as I briefly consider the implications of such a duel. How many Hollows could it possibly pull in?

The bait breaks in-between his fingers into a cloud of white dust. I immediately sense the atmosphere of Reishi change drastically above Karakura. The ground rumbled ominously and I knew we had made a mistake.

Rukia appears beside me in a Flash Step with an angry expression.

"Please do not tell me you accepted a challenge from this Quincy. You are both idiots, you just used Hollow Bait in the current Spiritually Enriched Zone. Do you have any idea how much people in this town have Spirit Energy?"

The ground quakes underneath us violently as the sky darkens with the sheer amount of Garganta opening. Above those the sky began to crack in several places.

"It's too late to salvage this. Spread out and find the people with the highest Spirit Energy and then we must gather them together. Go now hurry!"

I tear my eyes off of the horror above us and immediately start looking moving towards the high school. Any Hollows who would dare confront me were ended in single swipes of my Hollow Schneider. I needed to protect the school full of the spiritually aware.

* * *

Uryu appeared on the roof of the hospital with Hirenkyaku to get an ugly glimpse at the destruction being caused. Arrows leave his bow one a time fending off the Hollows that were attracted to him. An arrow wizzes by his head to destroy a Hollow approaching him from behind.

Uryu turns to see the only man more stoic than himself, holding onto a solid bow with one hand. His father Ryuken Ishida in the flesh, on time as always. The tubes between his fingers instantly incinerate a group of Hollows approaching his blind spots.

"I have the hospital under control, move to the residential areas."

He always hated how his father never blamed him for anything. He would never yell, it was all about fixing your mistakes yourself. He always gave him this disappointed look, as if he was a failure and always would be. He hated the man sometimes.

Uryu looks at his father for a moment, faltering at the steel in his gaze. He had messed this one up with his pride, maybe his father was right. He really didn't have talent in being a proper Quincy. A disk appears underneath his feet as he leaves the roof with Hirenkyaku.

* * *

I grunt and crush the skull of a Hollow in my grasp to splinters. They were numerous but not really difficult to kill so far. My calm evaporated as a blast of powerful Reishi flooded my senses and the area.

I slowly look up to see the back cracks in the sky shatter completely. A massive white foot slams into earth as the titanic Gillian slips through the Kumon. It slowly looks around for a moment before finally finding the source of incredibly powerful Spiritual Pressure.

 _Fuck, I was suppose to be keeping a low profile while I was fighting. I'm making it worse._

The light of day nearly disappeared as it focused its beady eyes on me. I grip my Hollow Schneider hard as I realize that I was again out of my league here. Its other foot slams into the earth and it takes several steps towards the school.

A red orb begins to form in its maw as it aims at the school. It was going to take everything out in one shot. My first instinct screamed at me to turn tail and run.

 _If I move I might live to tell the tale, but they will most certainly die. I wont run away from this, I will... protect them._

The beam swept towards me quickly as I raised my sword and arm defensively. The entire area colored blood red as I roared into the energy.

* * *

Uryu lowers his materialized bow as the shadow of a second Gillian falls on his person. Even with dozens of arrows it wouldn't be enough. The only thing that could possibly save the town right now would be Letzt Stil.

 _Its too bad I don't have the glove on, I could reverse this mess that I caused._

A single red Cero begins to from within its jaws, enough to destroy him and the entire neighborhood. He raises the bow back up until it was level with his eye.

 _By my honor as a Quincy I will not flee from you!_

* * *

Rukia brings her phone out at the sight of two Gillian within Karakura charging up for the kill. This was no longer a time to be selfish, they needed assistance and fast.

She freezes as the ground underneath her quakes violently. Her phone clatters to the ground noisily as a mountainous shadows clouds out the sky. A third Gillian stood behind her.

Sode no Shirayuki digs into the ground beneath her as the Gillian charges up a Cero to kill her. She had never seen one up close, and they were indeed imposing.

She smiled at the bittersweet moment, it was actually kind of funny. She looks down at her Zanpakuto once before back at the looming Gillian.

 _I have to try! Its worth a shot right?_

"Ye Lord! Mask of flesh and..."

* * *

 **x**

* * *

 ** _If I move I might live to tell the tale, but they will most certainly die. I wont run away from this, I will... protect them._**

* * *

 _AN: School is starting up again for me soon, so updates will be slower. Nothing I can do about it._


	3. Chapter 3

_I guess I'm back again fellow readers, this one took longer than I had hoped and probably created a lot of questions. The explanation for Fullbringers being altered as far as personality and power will be posted on my profile as some point. As always if you notice any glaring errors that are not intended changes feel free to pm and let me know. I'm also going to start taking some liberties as new information comes to me, from the manga and my own mind. If things in this chapter are less than stellar or unclear I intend to clear them up in the next chapter and put information of my profile. I guess I wont hold you up any longer._

* * *

 **I Do Not Own Bleach.**

* * *

 **Part 1: Metamorphosis.**

* * *

Rukia knew the procedures for this situation like the back of her hand. An ugly choice between wasting precious time contacting the Soul Society, or standing between the humans and danger.

There were so many variables in situations like these, enough to make her want to freeze up in fear. Textbooks and real world problems with enough data to prepare even the greenest Soul Reaper for impossible situations.

The selfish part of her psyche screamed about the eons she had ahead of her. The many grueling hours of tedious work to hone master level Kido, year after year.

Her mind began and like all life quickly went full circle. The same reason she honed her Kido was the same reason she stood here today. She could determine who was right or wrong after these threats were expunged.

She leans forward and takes off from her original position, attracting the attention of the three Gillian. She needed the Gillian closer and in a position they wouldn't be able to escape once she began.

The ground trembled and shook as they gave slow but sure chase. The air crackled with dangerous Spiritual Pressure, and she was about to add her own.

She made contact with the side of the building at full speed, immediately sprinting upwards. Her heart rate skyrocketed as she tried to remember the unique incantation for a Kido she had been saving.

As her momentum took a sharp dip she dug her feet deep into the concrete while facing the Gillian. The lead one roars and they all begin charging up separate Ceros.

"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and frostbite, howling winds in the distance, ye who bears the name of spirit. Finite realities converge and convene, accept thy weakness and wait at the final dawn!"

The amount of Spirit Energy the Kido required astounded her. A bitter cold seeped through her flesh and deep into her bones. Her eyes began to glow a luminescent blue and her entire frame shook from exertion.

 _T-this... doesn't feel... right... so cold..._

The building she was in contact with began to freeze solid underneath her. Her heart rate slowed to a crawl despite the panic inside her welling up.

 _I can do this... just breathe out..._

She grips the hilt of her Zanpakuto as the feeling of numbness recedes. She places her left hand over the right and brings the Zanpakuto back for leverage.

"Hado 93: Hyoga Seiran!"

She swings her blade in an arc as if she was striking a closer enemy, the actual blade freezing inside out. A torrent of icy air and snow channeled from her body quickly move towards the Gillian like a blizzard.

The Ceros never finished charging as the Hollows were buried and frozen solid in a matter of seconds. Her head was already spinning before the Kido even concluded.

The blade frozen solid fractures into silver pieces, leaving only the hilt in her shaky hands. The world begins to sway around her as the snow solidifies into ice.

She sways on her feet for a moment before involuntarily releasing the hilt of her Zanpakuto. Her eyes snap back open for a moment before closing again due to exhaustion.

She tilts forward with no grip on the building, freefalling headfirst towards the ground. Her rapid acceleration awakens her again, allowing a slight shift of center of gravity.

She crashes into two building on her way down, the final one clipping and subsequently breaking her arm. She was already unconscious before the final impact against the pavement.

* * *

The Gillian watched him closely, his Spirit Energy too mouthwatering to let go. Logical reasoning meant this made sense, this Hollow could care less about the other people of Karakura.

He lacked the force and area of effect to kill this thing with his Heilig Pfeil, that was certain. One hand instinctively covers his chest, the only tool he had on hand that he had bothered to take with him.

While he was generally unfamiliar with the tool, he knew the words to use it. He snaps the top part of his suit open with a flick of his wrist, four silver Ginto falling into his waiting hands.

He flicks each individual Ginto into the air and catches them between his fingers. The Cero was still gathering energy and he estimated that he could get closer in time.

He leaped from Reishi platform to platform with Hirenkyaku with a sense of urgency. The Hollow could smell the fear and urgency on him, he had to be swift here. Not a single moment for his usual aesthetics.

His work was sloppy, so to would be the damage but he was out of time. The four Ginto make successful contact with the Gillian's waist, each waiting patiently for his incantation.

"Feel the wrath of battle and accept this sacred chalice- Heizen!"

He uses Hirenkyaku to get back as the Ginto instantaneously activate and sever it at the waist. Well partially sever, enough to cause the Hollow to stagger and shoot its Cero into the sky.

The sky rumbles as the Cero detonates, wind blowing his hair in every direction. The heat touches soaks into his skin moments later, it could wait until later but this was bad.

The heat was already dispersing and he knew that when cool air met warm air fireworks were next. The area was already becoming a low-pressure zone with no sign of stopping.

The sunlight around him began to dim as unnatural clouds began to form. The Hollow continues to glare at him hatefully, fighting to remain upright.

The solemn grey clouds did not stay the same long, already on their way to being black. He shields his eyes as the wind picks up, lightning illuminating the sky.

He stopped to wonder what temperature a Cero reached upon expansion. He wished he could study the sky longer, but he still needed to eliminate the Gillian.

The sound of a building being shattered underneath a massive weight finally pushed him to uncover his face. The first thing he sees causes further alarm, debris going in every direction.

Uryu immediately begins to backpedal with Hirenkyaku, his life already in danger again. The sound of nearby thunder and accelerating winds are just enough to scatter his equilibrium.

His platform of Reishi flickered and he took his eyes off the debris to steady himself. He refocuses on the debris in time for a compact shard of concrete to clip his temple.

Uryu struggles to maintain his platform of Reishi as blood poured from the wound with each beat of his heart. The normal dull roar of blood pulsing through his temples was already quieting as blood poured from the wound.

Already his strength had decayed enough for a gust of wind to throw him backwards. He fights to keep his eyes open and his Spirit Energy circulating in vain.

The platform fades from existence as Uryu falls off, landing with an ugly thud atop a building. He lies dazed for several seconds before rain begins to fall over Karakura.

Lightning illuminates him again as he dabs at his temple, trying to stem the flow. With the aid of the lightning he can clear see his blood spilling onto the concrete and groans in pain.

Thunder roars above him as he slips into unconsciousness.

* * *

I had imagined what my death would be like a multitude of times. As morbid as it sounded, rampant curiosity always leads to thoughts about how one might find their own end.

The Cero rapidly expanded on impact with my Hollow Schneider and the released energy bathed my body in heat. It was not the same was before; the time in Hueco Mundo was different.

It felt as though my soul was trying to go in three different directions all at once. Like a case of mistaken identity inside one small pressurized space.

The released energy from the Cero never got a chance to disperse, and instead was converted to pure Reishi and forcibly absorbed into my own body.

What seemed like a great idea moments before, was shaping into one of my worst ideas to date. My thoughts were rapidly becoming fuzzy as the energy continue to course into my body.

I fall to my knees and white fluid poured from my mucus membranes. I tried to stem the flow in vain but the mask and armor continued to take shape.

Dark clouds quickly began to cover the sky; I wanted to scream out at it. Irrational as it sounded just the sight of possible inclement weather was clouding my mind.

Something sleeping deep within my soul was rapidly rising to the surface. I tried to fight the cold presence as smoke filled the area, but I was much too weak.

The Gillian paused, staring at the debris cloud with curiosity as my Spiritual Pressure disappeared. It seemed that they had went overboard and killed their meal prematurely.

Even with their lower than average intelligence the Gillian could smell that something was wrong. The Gillian takes a doubtful step back as a shadowy figure comes into sight.

It stood facing them with pure hatred rolling off it in waves. Anger, mistrust, and confusion compressed into a small space in a short amount of time. It roars at them with the full weight of its might, its rampant Spiritual Pressure destroying windows for miles.

As the rain comes down harder the dust cloud all but disappeared, weighed down by water. The leading Gillian takes another step back as the dark Hollow breathes in deeply.

With this in mind the Gillian turn to leave but it was in vain. All they heard was thunder as the combusting gas consumed them whole. The black Hollow stomps on the ground angrily before charging up another Cero.

Thunder booms overhead as all the buildings around the Hollow come down in a fiery explosion. It raises its bladed appendages to the sky before roaring in anger again.

* * *

At this moment in the Seireitei, a red warning light along with sirens were blaring in the Department for Research and Development. This was the third alarming sequence in Karakura in the last ten weeks.

Akon leans back into his comfortable chair and starts quickly typing into his console. Moments later the larger screen in the laboratory flashed a bright white before turning to static.

"Rin could you please boost the signal on our cameras? Everything is coming in fuzzy."

She shakes her head and huffs in frustration; this was beyond strange even for the current Spiritually Enriched Zone. No matter what she tried for settings, nothing changed. It was almost as if someone was actively blocking the signal.

"No go huh? Lower that setting to zero and boost the Spiritual Pressure sensors to maximum power."

He had no idea if his suggestion would fare any better than the first, but the screen going black meant gold. Analyzed data was appearing rapidly with clear clarity to boot.

"We are detecting Hollows, Soul Reapers, Quincies, Fullbringers, and something else. An anomaly with unknown Spiritual Pressure, I think that might be an error in our equipment."

Just like all the times when the alarm went off before, things started to disappear and wind down. Rukia Kuchiki is also the towns current Soul Reaper, but her power would not be enough alone.

"It appears that the area inside and around Karakura is becoming a low pressure system. This suggests that Menos Grande are among the Hollows there."

Akon grunts in surprise as the Spiritual Pressure rises dramatically, the screen flicking. It was still fuzzy, but an image was starting to come through.

"Captain Kurotsuchi you may wish to see this sir. The signal won't hold long, but we might get a couple seconds of video."

The captain of the Department of Research and Development pauses, trying to decide if this was really worth his time. Karakura was strange indeed; an Adjuchas had appeared briefly before seemingly retreating back to Hueco Mundo.

Akon signals Rin who quickly boosts the power back to the signal. The image on screen flickers as Kurotsuchi slowly makes his way over with Nemu in tow.

"This Spiritual Pressure feels like that of a Soul Reaper, Urahara has something to do with this."

The images comes into focus showing Gillian utterly obliterated by some sort of blast. Something had put the Gillian into a full-scale retreat, things not known for their intelligence.

"Remarkable, freeze this image at the point of impact, Akon."

The image rewinds showing the nearly invisible attack. After listening to the audio a couple times, it had become clear that this was something new.

"Master Mayuri, after listening and seeing these questionable attacks they do appear to be chemical reactions."

"Exactly it almost seems like too much science, it's clearly Kido based combustion. A powerful Soul Reaper cast it, no doubt that peon Urahara getting rid of the Menos Grande."

This was unlike Urahara though, he would never purposely reveal himself. Something else was going on just beneath the surface.

* * *

 **Part 2: Nothing But The Rain.**

* * *

The nearly black Hollow stands amidst the rubble and destruction it has recently caused. Breathing hard after getting its anger out into the open.

It completely ignores the slow click of wooden Geta sandals approaching from behind it. It still does not respond as he taps his cane against the ground several times.

The Hollow slowly opens its mouth to breathe out as the man slowly draws his Zanpakuto from its Shikomizue. There would be no use for words here.

"Awaken, Benihime."

Lightning flashes across the sky as the pure black Hollow turns to look at him with its peripheral vision. The black Hollow-no there was no longer any doubt in his mind.

White, the Hollow that Isshin had encounter so many years ago. He admitted that it had changed a great deal since slipping into Ichigo's soul. The filling for its hole was now gone and its Spiritual Pressure was nearly unreadable.

Its impressive armor seemed even more intimidating under the rainfall. The greatest change was the person under the mask this time around; he didn't want to kill Ichigo.

 _I studied the remains of White from so many years ago; the man underneath the mask was Isshin's predecessor. Aizen is not a man who likes coincidences; he planned this all from the very beginning._

Urahara tenses as White turns to face him, the shadows falling over his purely white mask. This thing had taken Isshin on in his prime, the weaknesses of before were long gone.

White growled as his temper boiled over from being the object of study. Hollows normally liked to open fights with a Cero, but White had other plans rolling around in his mind.

The very concept of casting Kido without speaking was ludicrous, impossible even. It never occurred to him that anything would be able to cast Kido with their mind.

He recognized the noise instantly; he knew you would hear this Kido before you ever had a chance to see it. The ticking began, and he quickly called up the memory about this Kido's speed.

He jumps backwards into the air bringing his sword, raising his Spiritual Pressure. Red energy crawled through his sword at an alarming rate as he swung towards White.

"Scream, Benihime!"

The distinct sound of fireworks signaled the release of misty red beams of energy from Benihime. The Kido on White's end combusts and quickly battles for dominance with Urahara's attack.

The power struggle is short and bitter throwing debris into the air. Urahara reaches for something in his pocket with one hand and raises his palm to the cloud with the other.

"Hado 58: Tenran"

A vortex of wind appears from his palm to push both the rain and debris back in White's direction. His eyes widened as White appeared in front of him with the buzz of Sonido.

White knocked his hand away and stabbed him through the abdomen with his right blade. The shock fades nearly instantly, replaced by a grin as Urahara pops like a balloon.

White looks up in surprise far too late to react to the retaliation of Urahara. A blood red net forming along the length of Benihime, which he tosses over his body.

"Shibari, Benihime!"

Like a spiders web the net quickly sticks to White's skin with ease. Urahara lands further away with a maddening grin of his face, sweat slide down his temples.

 _I can't believe how close that came before I managed to switch with my Portable Gigai. I'm really out of shape._

"I apologize in advance, Ichigo but no matter how small I make this... it's going to hurt like a bitch. Hiasobi, Benihime, Juzutsunagi."

He stabs Benihime into the end of the net causing orbs of fire to burst forth leading towards White. The Hollow realizes the danger and roars loudly, nearly shattering his eardrums.

The moment the orbs reach him a white light is emitted before the street explodes. As if someone lit a match in a room with one hundred percent oxygen. The fiery explosion went directly upwards like a sword piercing the heavens.

His coat flutters in the burning aftershock, the Spiritual Pressure from White disappearing. He stabs his Zanpakuto into the ground before removing his hat, lightly fanning himself.

His eyes snap back into focus as White's Spiritual Pressure skyrockets back into existence, turning his head to look at the wall of flame. He actually gasped in surprise as the wall of flames is split apart to reveal White charging a green Cero between his horns.

He reaches for his Zanpakuto but it blown of his feet as the Spiritual Pressure thickens in the air. He let his guard down, deliberately weakened his own attacks, and underestimated this Hollow that Isshin was unable to defeat in his Shikai.

How foolish of him, such scolding could wait until after he was reincarnated. He mentally chastised himself, _if_ he was reincarnated.

"Kisuke get down and cover your face! Getsuga Tensho!"

He knew that voice, he turned himself over roughly, as the Spiritual Pressure grew to rival White's. Normally Getsuga Tensho wouldn't do much more than his strongest attack with Benihime, but these were different circumstances.

The crescent wave of Spiritual Pressure washed over White and detonated the Cero early. A pillar of green energy shoot off into the sky as White is blindsided by his own attack.

Urahara breathes heavily from where he laid on the ground, after nearly a century of sedentary living this was rough. The bearded face of Isshin appears above with his characteristic grin in place.

"You're slipping, Kisuke what have you been doing the last century?"

"Honestly I've been trying to stay under the Soul Societies radar if at all possible. I don't even wanna hear your gloating because White took himself out; you just detonated his own Cero prematurely."

He reaches his arm out for assistance and finds the response immediately. He quickly dusts himself off as the Reishi in the air finally began to settle. The fire slowly dies down revealing a kneeling White, both horns destroyed in the blast.

The white mask slowly begins to splinter and crack, Spirit Pressure leaking from the openings. Kisuke plucks his hat from the ground and strolls over to White slowly.

"Well I hope Yoruichi is having an easier time that I just did."

The rest of the white mask breaks off completely, White and his consciousness fading into the deepest sands of my mind. I open my eyes slowly as the world spins, I could have sworn I saw my father in a Shihakusho...

As the rest of the armor dissolved into Reishi Urahara caught my limp body. He lightly sits me down on the pavement before looking at the swath of destruction on just this block alone.

"We need to start cleaning this street up, Isshin. Unless we are inserting terrorist attacks into the minds of Japanese officials."

"You wish, Kisuke! I am not going to be the cause of nuclear war."

* * *

At the edge of Karakura, a black cat leaped from rooftop to rooftop with purpose. In fact, too much purpose, these feats in itself should have been impossible for a mere feline.

 _Okay what did Kisuke say about Fullbring? The power is Hollow in origin, and increases exponentially in the presence of Hollows. The soul of the individual is suppressed... something like that... I'll wing it._

Yoruichi knew that she was forgetting something integral but it would have to wait. She appeared above the school in time to see Orihime literally blow a cylindrical hole through a Hollow.

She mentally whistles at the unorthodox attack before things take a turn for the worst. Instead of her Fullbring winding down, the Spiritual Pressure skyrocketed.

 _I remember now, the suppressed soul is brutally yanked to surface in a massive explosion. A spectator must then enter and protect the physical body... fuck I have to absorb the blast?_

The time for thought was drawing to a close as a funnel of wind began to swirl around her. Bolts of orange lightning mingled with the amassing energy, with no clear enemy in sight.

She paws her face once before using Flash Step to leap into the cloud of Spiritual Pressure. She knew this was going to sting if nothing else, but it was infinitely better than the alternative.

The pillar of Spiritual Pressure spiked as she forced Orihime to her knees. She didn't physically respond, her eyes glowing a bright white as if she were possessed.

She put more effort into it and Orihime collapsed onto her stomach. The light from the released energy grew brighter and Yoruichi braced for impact.

The Spirit Energy flared up underneath her one more time before finally subsiding. She mentally rejoiced at how much she had overestimated the power of one girl.

Her victory is cut short at the spike of Several Spiritual Pressures elsewhere. There was no time to wake this girl up, or try to figure out just what she would become.

 _Yasutora... Kisuke... I think that blast did more damage that I initially thought. I can't feel my hind legs at all... I'm sorry Yasutora._

* * *

Chad breathed heavily in a crouched position as the Hollow before him became clearer. Blood slowly moves down the side of his face where he took the brunt of an attack to defend Karin.

This thing was holding back against him, it wanted both their souls. It was smart enough to tire him out, instead of roasting them both with a Cero. He needed to do something here, and it wasn't because he was afraid to die.

Not for himself, but for the people he cared for most around him. Suddenly he a boy again, and it reminded him on the first man to ever believe in him.

His eyes began to a glow stark white, the Hollow finally becoming clear to him. His heart rate sped up as he unconsciously pull on more of his hidden Spirit Energy.

The Hollow got no time to ponder the sudden change in power before a yellow blast split him into perfect halves. His journey towards finding and eventually reclaiming his heart cut short in an instant.

 _How...? Impossible..._

The Hollow decomposed into Reishi before his body hit the ground. The smoke clearing enough to show Chad with black armor from his hand up to his shoulder.

His heart skips a beat and cracks form in the armor before shattering completely. He collapses onto his knees before finally onto his side, unable to move.

 _What was that just now? For a moment... when I thought about my Abuelo... I felt so much power, but now I can't feel anything._

* * *

 **Part 3: Aftermath**

* * *

The void was pleasant as it always had been. Preferable to nightmares, yet least pleasant than simple dreams. The void was safe, because it did not change... no matter how the world around it did.

"How are your legs holding up?"

There it was again, voices intruding upon my sanctity. Just who might be talking in the darkness? An even better question that is who is exactly am I?

" **Ichigo Kurosaki. You** _ **are**_ **Ichigo Kurosaki."**

Yeah... that's right... I'm Ichigo Kurosaki. How could I forget that?

My eyes snapped open to an unfamiliar room, with many unfamiliar smells. Even stranger was that I couldn't move at all, yet I didn't feel any restraints.

It was an almost scary feeling being unable to move like this, as if something was sitting on my chest. This must be what people called sleep paralysis; it was definitely freaking me out.

"I never thought it would come to this so soon. I knew _that_ Hollow was still around because I still couldn't leave the Gigai... but I never wanted to see it again."

The voice was familiar to me, and if not for the serious tone, I would have guessed it were my dad. I tried to force myself to move, but everything except my eyes remained unresponsive.

"Unfortunately, even with me cloaking Karakura every Spiritually aware human for sixteen square kilometers felt it. I can't really explain it, but I've got this really odd feeling."

After spending several moments, calming myself down, I could hear other people in the room. Rhythmic breathing from people in the same position as I, and people on the edges of the room talking.

"This might actually serve as a strong deterrent... in fact you should be thanking..."

I would have gulped nervously if I could move as the room fills with Spiritual Pressure. I wasn't sure who this guy was, but he was dead wrong. That Quincy was an idiot, case closed.

"No amount of reasoning or intelligence will make what that boy did right, Ryuken. I think the real discussion is about who is the bigger idiot, the son or his father who didn't teach him better."

Suddenly the Spiritual Pressure doubled as this Ryuken character entered the fray. I could feel his anger, with deep undertones of shame mixed in without much effort.

"I cannot deny that my son chose an idiotic path, but I can say with certainty that he did all he could to fix it. He, like all of the occupants of this room was severely injured. Spinal injuries are just as complicated as cranial ones."

The voice who had spoken first and had remains silent so far moved across the room faster than I could comprehend. Wind whipped past my face as Urahara slammed Ryuken into the wall.

"Fourteen people died because of his negligence, and hundreds more were injured because of his lack of power. Yoruichi is never going to walk again; and two kids were just dragged into a much larger mess."

There several tense moments before the Spiritual Pressure in the room slowly began to ramp down. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen; he didn't want a happy ending... anything that didn't end on a sad note.

"Kisuke let him go... violence won't solve this."

As the shop owner releases his collar Ryuken smooths it down, his face suddenly sullen. Clearly, the calmest man in the room, and the one who harbored the most regret.

"I apologize again; I wanted to keep him as far away from this terrible life as possible. The more I pushed him away the more incessant he became about learning. His emotions often run rampant, and his own pride will be his downfall."

He looked as though he planned to go before a loud yawn resounded through the closed space. While it didn't clear the air, it certainly made it easier to ignore.

"My head is killing me... that was some crazy dream I just had..."

Orihime paused as she realized she was not in her room, and definitely not in her pajamas. What had she been doing? Her memory was fuzzy and... she definitely needed a shower. As soon as possible.

"What happened? Why am here?"

Even before the rooms, occupants could process the question, the memories returned as if a floodgate was opened. The squid had attacked the school, so many people injured...

 _The worst part was that it really only wanted me... and I was so useless._

"We were hoping you could tell us what happened to you. Your suppressed soul was brought to the surface, and you awoke your Fullbring. I am interested to know about one of the few good things that happened out of his catastrophe."

"What is Fullbring...?"

Urahara paused as he had skipped a step in this short discussion.

"A Fullbring is a unique power that is used by a Fullbringer, cleverly named Spiritually aware humans. To be more specific, the power you possess is born from the same energy as the squid you killed. That was a Hollow, technically your kin."

The images flashed before her again, things that confused her than suddenly making sense. A Hollow that had the capacity to maul an entire school was considered weak, how was such a thing possible?

"Hollows are cannibalistic by nature, only the truly desperate Hollows come to our world. Why would the strong ones bother, it would be a waste of time when thy brethren would make a much more satisfying meal."

 **" _You ask why I do this, you wonder if such heartless beings can exist. Well you should know already dear, I'm just following the natural circle of life."_**

"Fullbringers primarily use themselves as weapons against their opponents. I'm not sure about the specifics, but an object is used to effectively channel your Spirit Energy... what was yours?"

Orihime grips forehead as the rest of her memories come back. She lamented her own failure to protect Sora while he was alive and even after he died. He protected her, and so far, everyone who came into her life was protecting her.

"I wanted so bad to protect her... I remembered Sora protecting me, and suddenly I felt power. I questioned at the time if it was my power."

* * *

 **" _I'm not particularly fond of conflict, and my abilities reflect this. Just remember that you caused this suffering to befall your friends, I only desired your soul."_**

 _Tears flowed freely down her face as she finally was able to admit the truth. No amount of hate would change the fact that this creature had initially offered her the chance to surrender herself._

 _Without even realizing it, Orihime took a fearful step backwards, despite the threat to the people around her. What good would it do for everyone to die if she could escape?_

 **" _I can see you're afraid, it practically oozes from your pores. Are you going run? Just a moment ago you looked so sure of yourself... your expression befits a Hollow, scrounging for survival."_**

 _Orihime stopped as she collided with another presence behind her. She feels a hand on her left shoulder, calm and reassuring her. She turns slowly to see the transparent face of Sora._

" _It's okay to be afraid, Orihime... what matters most is that you admit it, and then decide what to do about it. Do you wish to save them?"_

 _She turns away from her older brother to look back at the horrific scene before her. Suddenly didn't seem so scary anymore, she felt as if she could do anything._

" _I really do want to save them... but I- I can't do it by myself... I not strong enough alone..."_

 **"What you are mumbling about girl?"**

 _The Hollow frowns she remains unresponsive as ever. The chaos in her heart fluttering before beginning to settle._

" _That is okay, because you have never been alone. I will always be with you, even if you cannot see me. Do you remember when I gave you those hairpins? I want you to focus everything into them, and promise to remember what they stand for."_

 _Sora slowly fades away as the world comes back into focus, the air around her picking up in a sudden gust. Numb Chandelier squints as her posture suddenly changes, the fear ebbing away from her heart._

 **" _So you are staying then? Have you finally made your peace and accepted your fate?"_**

" _This is your one and only chance to retreat, release Tastuki and all of the students in my school. Make your decision quickly."_

 _Numb Chandelier laughs boisterously at the threat, who did this little girl think she was threatening? A Cero began forming in front of her mouth, a putrid yellow color._

 **" _I don't know where this bravado suddenly came from, but don't think words will defeat me. I have been fighting Soul Rea-"_**

 _Her voice is silenced as a circular hole pierced her through the mask, destroying the Cero. The edges of the circle began to crack away; it was unlike any attack she had ever faced._

 **" _H-how... I didn't even see... any movement..."_**

 _Orihime retracts her outstretched hand, smoke slowly wafting up from her fingertips. A multitude of orange drifting around her person protectively._

" _Your body where that hole is never existed, now let's do it to the rest of your body. Numb Chandelier, I reject your existence!"_

 _The Hollow quickly begins to fade from existence, every student around it dropping to the ground unconscious. Several barriers immediately form around the grievously wounded._

" _I'm so proud of you, Orihime. I know you'll do great things in this life."_

 _She turns to her brother as he ruffles her hair playfully. Tears that had been threatening to fall since the beginning of the encounter fell._

" _You think so, brother? Well... if you think so, then there was never anything to fear."_

 _He smiles again his body slowly dispersing into the wind around her. Her eyes clouded as the barriers around her shatters. Spiritual Pressure leaking from her soul like a punctured pipe._

 _Orange lightning strikes the building around her as the tornado around her intensifies. She felt at peace as her soul finally tore itself free of its bonds._

" _Goodbye... Sora."_

* * *

"You wanted to know the name of my Fullbring? Shun Shun Rikka."

"Interesting name, what exactly does it do."

She reaches up brush her hair back, already knowing the pins were gone. Her brother had already told her before he disappeared, that she was never alone. The hairpins and disappeared along with him, but weren't actually gone.

She closes her eyes for a moment before opening them again, her pupils replaced by a green six-sided figure. Just activating it felt like Sora was standing behind her, ready to defend her.

Urahara blinks in surprise, her power pressing against him. Something he had only felt once before, when he created the Hogyoku. Energy that touched the world as if it was alive.

She turns away from him to look at Yoruichi, a barrier appearing over her bandaged legs. She nearly shoves her own head into the wall as the golden flow filled the room.

"Amazing... it's like Kido... and yet it's so far from it."

I blink rapidly as gasps are heard around the room, along with the sound of lithe feet hitting the ground. Whatever this gold light was, it was making it easier to shift.

"I thought it was healing... but it's so much more than that... I've dreamed about it. Stable time-regression in a Kido-like fashion..."

Several more barriers appear around the room as Orihime clutches her forehead. Yoruichi and Isshin rush to stop her from overexerting herself before the sound of groaning stops them cold.

Rukia slowly leans up to look around the room, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Uyru grunts again as his spines realigns to its correct position, pain had never felt so good.

I could feel the Kido restraining me beginning to weaken exponentially. My Spiritual Pressure soars as Chad twitches. Ryuken and Urahara are unable to keep their mouths closed as Uyru slowly stands up.

"Such an ability..."

 _This rivals even the Hogyoku, such an ability would manifest in a Fullbringer... well its astounding._

The barriers in the room crack and disappear, everyone healed to their original states.

"I'm so confused; didn't I fall like four stories after using a Kido out of league? I should be dead."

"Same, pretty sure I damaged my spinal cord."

Orihime promptly faints, the golden glow slowly dissipating.

* * *

 **Part 4: Farewell Soul Reaper, I'll Never Forget You**

* * *

"Thank you very much Ms. Inoue, I appreciate your assistance. Now that my wounds are healed, I really must be going."

 _Rukia Kuchiki of Squad Thirteen, you have reached the maximum limit on your time in the human world. Failure to comply will lead to a forced return to the Siereitei._

She pretended not the notice the looks of surprise as she left with haste. She didn't need any of these people caught up in this mess that was spiraling out of control.

 _In light of recent events occurring inside the Spiritually Enriched Zone, we are reevaluating your presence. A suitable replacement is to be deployed shortly._

She stopped outside his shop to look up into the night sky, barely registering my footsteps behind her. She didn't even respond until I lightly touched her shoulder.

"What's the rush, Rukia? I haven't sensed anything since that bait was used. No need to be so upset, with Orihime's powers we might be able to save some of the people who..."

 _You will leave through a Senkaimon, you will surrender your Zanpakuto, and you will be detained for questioning. You have exactly three hours and counting to return on your own._

"I have to leave, Ichigo."

"What... you're leaving? Why?"

She turns around to look at me with the saddest expression on her face. I had gotten use to her presence, but it wasn't as if this was shocking.

"I have reached my limit for my time in the human world. I must return to the Soul Society... I suppose this is goodbye."

I'd only ever seen Rukia look so melancholy once before, I believe shed said it was unbecoming a Soul Reaper to shed tears. I guess by comparable ages, we would be about the same.

"Oh... I see, so that time has come. I would normally say, see you later... but this is probably..."

"... The last time we will speak."

She offered me an outstretched hand, which I took firmly. She never gets a chance to shake as I bring her in for a hug. She blinks in surprise before tears start to well up.

"No tears... what have tears ever solved? I'm sure I'll see you again someday, in this life or the next."

I release her as she wipes the small amounts of moisture from her eyes. She calmed the turmoil in her heart and turned away, drawing her Zanpakuto.

I watched calmly, still conflicted about how I should be feeling. She plungers her sword into the air in front of her, the blade all but disappearing.

"Now open."

A rectangular Shoji door appears from thin air before opening to reveal a smaller circular one. The inner door opens to reveal a pure white light that nearly blinded me.

A black butterfly outlined with a maroon color flies through from the other side. It circles around her at head level, composed entirely of Reishi.

She walks into the light and the butterfly follows closely behind her. The inner door begins to shut slowly with permission from the Hell Butterfly.

"Thank you, Rukia... for everything. I won't ever forget you."

She stiffens for a moment as her resolve breaks turning to get one last look before the Senkaimon closes completely. I sigh slowly as the Senkaimon disappears from view.

I smile slowly at the bittersweet goodbye, turning to start walking towards home.

* * *

As Rukia Kuchiki emerged from the Senkaimon, a crowd of Soul Reapers instantly surrounded her. There were no orders as the crowd clear to reveal a petite women wearing a white captain's haori.

She strolls forward through the opened path with a defined purpose. She could have sword she saw pity in the woman's eyes.

"Please surrender your Zanpakuto, Kuchiki. I implore you to not make this harder than it needs to be."

She saw several hands instinctively go to their Zanpakuto when she did not immediately comply. The only person who remained calm was the captain in front of her.

"Please don't make me take it from you, Kuchiki. I don't want to do this, but I was ordered to detain you."

The Stealth Force members tensed as she reached for her Zanpakuto. She pulls the cord around her waist taut and pull Sode no Shirayuki out, sheath and all.

She stares at the sword for several moments before handing it over to Captain Soifon. The moment she let, go the Stealth Force moved into to cuff her with Sekkiseki Stone.

How had the previous months filled with contentment culminate into the catastrophe at present? She kept her pride through all the difficult choices she was forced to make. What more could a Soul Reaper strive for?

 _I'm so sorry, Sode no Shirayuki I hope you can one day forgive me._

Her other half could no longer hear her though, the Spirit Energy in her body coming to a screeching halt. She was now faced with a much different path to follow.

For better or worse, she would live with it.

* * *

I groaned painfully in my sleep, tossing and turning every now and again. Deep within the recesses of my mind, a massive sandstorm ravaged the silver desert.

In the middle of the raging storm was White, concentrating on something he couldn't see. He was certain that he had left it behind many, many years ago.

He could feel the Hollow from before deep beneath the sand, trying to get to the surface. The problem was that he had grown rather attached to this desolate desert. He wasn't down for sharing.

His eyes widen in shock as something else appears on his radar, beneath the sand. This wasn't a Hollow or a Zanpakuto; it didn't really feel like anything.

A metallic elevator pushes up from the sand behind him. He turns slowly just about twenty feet from the object that certainly did not belong. His own Hollow Schneider activates instinctively.

The elevator dings before opening from the side facing away from White. He hears the soft crunch of footsteps before a shadowy man appears. His overcoat flutters in the wind of the sandstorm.

White grunts in surprise as he realizes this man is carrying a black bow. The cloak billows back to reveal his left hand, a black glove with an atom imprint on the topside.

 **"Now what is damn good for nothing Quincy doing in _my_ desert."**

The man doesn't answer as the sand around him begins to levitate around him. White watches with interest as the sand breaks down into pure Reishi and circles the black glove.

A moment later the Reishi re-solidifies into a silver arrow between his fingers. His brown tinted sunglasses reflect the light of the moon before he looks at White for the first time.

"The distortion of this world is abysmal; your presence is truly stifling. It is clear to me that you have had too much freedom, allow me to reign you in properly."

" **You think you can** _ **control**_ **me? I think you are confused about who is running the show old man."**

White reaches down with his free hand to pick up some of the grey sand. The aged Quincy slides the arrow into the quiver before taking aim. The sand around him kicks up and into the air as his Spiritual Pressure increases.

He releases the powerful arrow; with its speed, White saw nothing but a silver blur. With no way to dodge, White took the arrow head on and the subsequent explosion causes a mushroom cloud.

The Quincy stares into the rising pillar of Reishi with a look of indifference. This was foregone conclusion; all he needed to do now was absorb him.

"I thought for a moment he would resist further, pitiful Hollow."

" **You got some nerve, coming to** _ **my**_ **home, threatening** _ **my**_ **pristine body, and absorbing** _ **my**_ **Reishi. I will repeat myself, you have it confused."**

The Quincy pauses at the sudden change in White's voice, the smoke dissipating to reveal him unscathed. Over his face was a black mask in addition to his bodysuit.

 **"Cero."**

Without taking a stance, a yellow Cero formed in front of his mask and obliterated the sand in a straight line. It felt good to stretch his legs and finally get back to the basics.

"You are stronger than I anticipated, and your bond with his Fullbring is growing more resilient. It will be difficult, but I will peel back every layer and then rip you apart from your roots."

White bristled in anger, his anxiety rising further as the Quincy appeared from the sand cloud. A matrix of blue lines ran all over his body, pulsing like Spirit Energy highways.

"Blut Vene. Even with your superior power, you didn't even manage to tear it. Please feel free to tire yourself out, Hollow."

White grinds his teeth together to stop himself from attacking the Quincy head on again. He was faster than the Quincy was, and staying at a distance wouldn't be a good idea.

 **"Alright then Quincy, here I come..."**

The Quincy blinks in surprise as White disappears, the bow dispersing into Reishi around his black glove. White buries his fist into his get, effectively sending him flying backwards.

He grunts in pain as White's Hollow Schneider rips into his Blut Vene to draw blood. This was not how this was supposed to go, he could feel Reishi leaking from his body now.

The Reishi around his glove solidifies into sleek Khyber knife, with a chain attached to the end. The moment he lands in the sand White locks blades with him.

"You're absorbing my Reishi from this wound? How could a Hollow..."

 **"I'm full of surprises... but you're stalling shut up and die already."**

The Quincy doesn't get a chance to retort before White plants his foot into his stomach. He activates Blut Vene in time for the Hollow Schneider to rip right through it.

He skids back several feet before using Hirenkyaku to increase the distance further. His dismembered right arm falling into the sand half way between them.

 **"You gave me the impression that you planned to strip away my power. Tell me old man... how are you going to do that when you're so weak!?"**

The massive sword in the sand disperses back into Reishi as White pulls the glove from the dismembered arm. The Quincy tenses up noticeably as White inspects the glove, his breath hitching.

 **"What's that face for... oh I see... you want this glove back?"**

White allows his homicidal tendencies to show as he slides the glove onto his right hand. A look of horror flashed across the Quincies face before fading into nothingness.

 **"If you want it back so bad... come take it back by force."**

White didn't realize it at the time, but the glove wasn't coming off anytime soon. The Quincy quickly drops into a rigid lotus position in the sand, his cloak flaying out behind him.

It was odd at first and quickly became unsettling as the Quincy began making signs with one hand. White growls and charges a Cero in front of his mask, intent on stopping him.

The yellow Cero illuminates the night of the desert, a mushroom cloud appearing as it detonates. I spring up from my previous slumber, my instincts in overdrive as my father leaps towards me.

"Good morning, Ichigo!"

I simply lay back on my bed as my father soars through my closed window. The glass shatters and he grunts as he hits the grass below. I run my forehead tenderly for a several moments before I notice something that wasn't there before.

 _Where did this black glove come from?_

* * *

"You idiot, you get your first real opportunity in the real world and you blow it. Not only that but it was the currently Spiritually Enriched Zone, how could you do this to yourself?"

Rukia was doing her best to ignore the incessant ranting of Renji as she awaited word on her fate. Her brother Byakuya had already come by, but for what reason she still wasn't sure.

"Are you even even listening, Rukia? You're lucky you technically didn't commit a crime."

"Enough Lieutenant Abarai, you should go now. Rukia Kuchiki, it is already late but Central 46 wishes to speak with immediately."

Renji stood at attention as Captain Soifon entered the detainment cell. A side-glance was all it took for Renji to salute her and scurry away. Rukia quickly stood on her feet, Soifon already gripping her shoulder.

Rukia had never moved so fast before, and as just as the name suggested it was over in a flash. Soifon immediately used her key to get the Sekkiseki Stone cuffs off her.

"I wish you the best of good luck, Rukia. Just continue down the path across the moat and into the building."

Rukia strokes her sore wrists as she tries to get the Spirit Energy flowing again. The door across the moat opened almost immediately, as if they could see her already.

She began to walk towards the looming doors, only sparing a single glance a Captain Soifon. The petite captain avoided her gaze completely; she wondered what went on in her mind.

The darkness seemed to retreat as she stepped through the large doors. Yellow light emanated from further inside, she had never seen the place before.

"Please if you would, Kuchiki it is already terribly late. Follow the lit path down into the chamber."

The doors behind her began to close, allowing the darkness to swallow her whole. Without the sunlight present, the yellow lights grew brighter as she followed the lit path.

Without the Sekkiseki Stone, she could feel them all now, and better still, she could sense her Zanpakuto. The moment she steps into the lower platform a woman clears her throat.

"Thank you graciously agreeing to meet with us, Rukia Kuchiki on such short notice. We have much to discuss and so little time to discuss it. As you are probably already aware there are several implications against you and the Soul Society as a whole."

A man with a silver beard stops her before she can continue, his body language causing silence. He shakes his head stiffly and looks down at her for the first time.

 _I'm going to take a wild guess and say that the most important members are on the outer edges._

"Forgive my colleague, Miss Kuchiki. Before we begin... I want to hear everything you think you know about... Full Manifestation Artists."

* * *

White pushes his black mask above his face, waiting for the sand cloud to disappear. His eyes narrow in anger as a large translucent box comes into view, the Quincy safely inside.

 **"Che, you were kinda fun at the beginning... but now you're boring me. You think a barrier is going to protect you, Quincy?!"**

White rushes forward and stabs at the translucent barrier with his black Hollow Schneider. The moment he makes contact, the barrier ripples in place as if it was made of gelatin.

 **"What... what the hell is this?!"**

The rippling along its surface grows stronger before he is violently repelled backwards. The Quincy gives him a nonchalant look before sitting in the lotus position.

White is back on his feet nearly instantly, the barrier jostled violently as he rammed it with his shoulder. It throws him off again easily, his mask cracking down the middle.

"You should stop while you're ahead, mindless Hollow."

His eyes open in surprise as White rears back, his fist flowing green. How could he still be able to stand after taking the full force of his barrier?

 **"Let's test its strength if it's so powerful, Bala!"**

The explosion is much stronger than before, causing the Quincy to hit the side of his own barrier. His glasses dangle for a moment before hitting the bottom of the cube.

 **"Strong barrier, I'd like to know the name of the one who I shall personally devour."**

White allows his mask to reform a green Cero charging on the end. The Quincy places the shades back onto his face, the stump of his other arm already closed.

"I can personally understand wanting to know the name of the man who shall slay you. Therefore, I will grant you such a privilege... I am the progenitor of all Quincy and son of the Soul King himself. His majesty of the Kingdom of Darkness and he who has slept the last millennium. The man who knows all and sees all, and in the end I shall be the last one standing... I am Ywach. Too much time has been spent preparing to allow a simple Hollow to stand in my way!"

The sand quakes as he speaks his name, staring into the near blinding light of Whites Cero. His eyes flashing through all the images he could see from the past and into the distant future.

* * *

 **Part 5: Full Manifestation Artists**

* * *

The damnable thing wouldn't come off; it turned out to be surprisingly resilient cloth. I picked at it incessantly, anything was better than thinking about Rukia.

My father had become deathly serious during breakfast when he noticed the glove. A distant and faraway look appearing in his eyes, as if he was remembering something.

"So, Ichigo my boy what are your plans for summer vacation? Why not come to the fireworks festival with us?"

"Other than the fireworks festival I really haven't made any other plans. "

I had to admit that I the incident from before had shaken me more than I was willing to admit. The distinct feeling of guilt had set into my heart, maybe if I had been able to stop that jerk Uryu then...

Maybe Rukia would have been able to stay around... just a little while longer. Wishful thinking is what it was, I knew that but wishes were wishes for better or worse.

"Thank you for the splendid breakfast my sweet daughter, Yuzu. Oh and Ichigo, try to relax; it's the weekend after all you know."

He stands up and slowly stretches before yawning into his hand. I watch him from the corner of my eye; this man was a Soul Reaper. Not just any Soul Reaper either if I had heard them right.

I wait until my father had left the room before getting up with my plate. I needed to clear my head and I couldn't do that cooped up at the clinic.

"I'm going out for a stroll, please don't wait up."

"Wait, Ichigo! Could you please run down to the store and then the market while you're out to pick up food? It's for dinner and I have a list already made."

I did crave a sense of normalcy, and beggars could not be choosers. I also had the easiest time getting lost in a crowd, shoot I couldn't say no to either of my sisters anyway.

Without saying yes or no I extend my hand, palm facing upwards. I close my fist around the list before turning back around towards the door.

"Make sure they're fresh!"

I grunt in less than meaningful way, my gut telling me this would be interesting if nothing else. The moment the door clicked shut and I began to walk away from the clinic, a pair of green eyes opening in the darkness.

* * *

"I'll take some of your freshest bell peppers, six if you wouldn't mind."

The women at the stall gave me the strangest look before handing me a bag. The list _insisted_ that the produce came straight from the farmers market to insure freshness.

Did it make a huge difference? Maybe, how was I supposed to understand? I had been playing it cool the last half hour, but I was being shadowed.

From the very moment I passed by the alleyway just outside the clinic. Keeping just outside my visual distance yet close enough to keep an eye on me.

Whoever it was wasn't normal either, I couldn't sense any Spiritual Pressure from them. I place the Yen down onto the stall and walk away slowly.

 _It might be a Soul Reaper, possibly the one taking Rukia's place. Why would they be following me though? They couldn't know I'm a Fullbringer so I'll just play oblivious._

I turned my Spiritual Pressure sense off completely and suppressed my Spirit Energy. The sudden change sparked an interest in the shadowing individuals.

With my sensing abilities shut down, I continued through the crowded market place, mindful of the small collisions between myself and the other patrons. That all change with the next person who brushed by me.

Even with my sensing abilities shut down, I felt the distinct tension of Spiritual Pressure. It was unmistakable to me at this point, because it was nearly identical to my own.

I turn in the crowd barely catching a flitting glance of wavy black hair before the man was gone. Yuzu would have to do without onions tonight, because I was going to follow this person.

I straightened my spine and pointed my shoulders outwards, cutting a way through the crowd. The man turned a corner as I did my best to follow without knocking people over.

I allowed my Spiritual Pressure outside again as I searched for his presence. The crowd thinned as I exited the market, still feeling nothing in the gathering darkness.

I stiffen at the sound of high-end shoes against the pavement just behind me. Slowly approaching, casually even, as if he was in no real hurry.

"Didn't your parents ever teach you not to follow strangers into the night?"

I hook two fingers into my pocket, making certain that the talisman from my mother was in reach. He was much taller than I with a perpetual smile etched onto his face.

He wore a long sleeved, white collared shirt with suspending on each of his shoulders. He definitely looked high class with only one thing leading in the opposite direction was the scar over his left eye.

"What exactly made you follow me all the way out here? I think I accidentally bumped into you, but that's about it."

He places the bookmark in his hand into his book and closes it when I don't respond. He didn't look particularly annoyed either.

"Why were you following me all day?"

I didn't mean to sound so accusing, because now I no longer felt like I was being followed. I was certain it was multiple people, and yet here only stood one.

"You think I've been following you all day? That isn't quite how Xcution does business. We were simply playing keep away with another group of Fullbringers. We actually had no idea who the Fullbringer was, but this other group somehow did."

 _How do you even spell the name of his group anyway? All right that is unimportant, I need to understand their motive here._

"Every group of Fullbringers is always looking for new brothers and sisters. Xcution is no different from any of the rest in that regard. We come in peace."

As if to show how serious he tossed his book towards me. I instinctively caught it, turning it over to stare at the title. The Return of Aion. Why did this matter though?

"That is my Fullbring you're holding there, as a sign of good faith. All I wish to exchange pleasantries with you on behalf of Xcution. Perhaps over tea, my treat?"

I stare at the book for several moments and then back at the man. He was no real threat without his Fullbring, and clearly, he was with the idea of talking. I would play along for now.

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

He reaches out his hand nonthreateningly, the smile never fading from his face. I felt his powers as our palms connects, like touching a live wire.

"My name is Shukuro Tsukishima."

* * *

 ** _x_**

* * *

 _ **I wanted to keep him as far away from this terrible life as possible. The more I pushed him away the more incessant he became about learning. His emotions often run rampant, and his own pride will be his downfall.**_


End file.
